Bird orientation: displacement experiments with young autumn migrating wheatears,<i>Oenanthe oenanthe</i>, along the Arctic coast of Russia

Åkesson, Susanne; Ottosson, Ulf; Sandberg, Roland

doi:10.1098/rspb.1995.0195

Cited by 23 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 17 publications

(3 reference statements)

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“…An alternative consideration would be that the geographic direction obtained from the star compass is a complementary mechanism used in combination with another compass such as, for example, the magnetoclinic route outlined above, where an additional cue should provide the westerly or easterly direction. However, the stars are almost impossible to see during the polar summer, so they are likely used only later in the season at high latitudes or predominantly at lower latitudes (see also above; Åkesson et al 1995, 2001a, 2005). Finally, the magnetic loxodrome is the least successful mechanism performing badly in numerousness cases.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most of the simulations included here were performed in the northern hemisphere, where the magnetic compass may be challenging to use due to the steepness of the geomagnetic field lines (Wiltschko and Wiltschko 1972). Experimental data from studies performed with wild birds in the field, however, suggest that birds have the capacity to use the natural geomagnetic field to find meaningful migration directions also in the high Arctic (Sandberg et al 1998; Åkesson et al 1995, 2001a, 2005; Muheim et al 2006), including waders (Gudmundsson and Sandberg 2000; Grönroos et al 2010). …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2; Wiltschko and Wiltschko 1972; cf. Sandberg et al 1998; Åkesson et al 1995, 2001a). In the laboratory, songbirds have been shown to detect magnetic fields as steep as 85° inclination angle (Lefeldt et al 2015), while under natural conditions, the behavioural responses suggest an ability to detect even steeper magnetic fields (Sandberg et al 1998; Åkesson et al 2001a, b, 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Route simulations, compass mechanisms and long-distance migration flights in birds

Åkesson

Bianco

2017

J Comp Physiol A

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Bird migration has fascinated humans for centuries and routes crossing the globe are now starting to be revealed by advanced tracking technology. A central question is what compass mechanism, celestial or geomagnetic, is activated during these long flights. Different approaches based on the geometry of flight routes across the globe and route simulations based on predictions from compass mechanisms with or without including the effect of winds have been used to try to answer this question with varying results. A major focus has been use of orthodromic (great circle) and loxodromic (rhumbline) routes using celestial information, while geomagnetic information has been proposed for both a magnetic loxodromic route and a magnetoclinic route. Here, we review previous results and evaluate if one or several alternative compass mechanisms can explain migration routes in birds. We found that most cases could be explained by magnetoclinic routes (up to 73% of the cases), while the sun compas s could explain only 50%. Both magnetic and geographic loxodromes could explain <25% of the routes. The magnetoclinic route functioned across latitudes (1°S–74°N), while the sun compass only worked in the high Arctic (61–69°N). We discuss the results with respect to orientation challenges and availability of orientation cues.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00359-017-1171-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Route simulations, compass mechanisms and long-distance migration flights in birds

Åkesson

Bianco

2017

J Comp Physiol A

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“…It is not known for certain whether birds can use their magnetic compass under such extreme conditions (cf. Sandberg et al 1991Ðkesson et al 1995), although indications of proper orientation without access to celestial cues have been demonstrated for snow buntings (Plectrophenax nivalis) in cage experiments at a site 400 km from the magnetic North Pole, with an inclination angle of 898 .…”

Section: (C) Magnetic Loxodromesmentioning

confidence: 98%

Bird orientation at high latitudes: flight routes between Siberia and North America across the Arctic Ocean

Alerstam

Guðmundsson

1999

Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B

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Bird migration and orientation at high latitudes are of special interest because of the di¤culties associated with di¡erent compass systems in polar areas and because of the considerable di¡erences between £ight routes conforming to loxodromes (rhumblines) or orthodromes (great circle routes). Regular and widespread east-north-east migration of birds from the northern tundra of Siberia towards North America across the Arctic Ocean (without landmark in£uences) were recorded by ship-based tracking radar studies in July and August. Field observations indicated that waders, including species such as Phalaropus fulicarius and Calidris melanotos, dominated, but also terns and skuas may have been involved. Analysis of £ight directions in relation to the wind showed that these movements are not caused by wind drift. Assuming possible orientation principles based on celestial or geomagnetic cues, di¡erent £ight trajectories across the Arctic Ocean were calculated: geographical loxodromes, sun compass routes, magnetic loxodromes and magnetoclinic routes. The probabilities of these four alternatives are evaluated on the basis of both the availability of required orientation cues and the predicted £ight paths. This evaluation supports orientation along sun compass routes. Because of the longitudinal time displacement sun compass routes show gradually changing compass courses in close agreement with orthodromes. It is suggested that an important migration link between Siberia and North American stopover sites 1000^2500 km apart across the Arctic Ocean has evolved based on sun compass orientation along orthodrome-like routes.

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“…The results of the orientation experiments under clear versus overcast skies conducted on a flat rooftop during spring migration with Palaearctic nocturnal migrant European Robins, Erithacus rubecula, demonstrated that birds oriented significantly under both clear and overcast skies in a seasonally meaningful migratory direction [57]. The orientation funnel experiments clearly demonstrate the ability of birds to perform orientation without an approach to celestial cues [58][59][60][61][62][63]. They appear to have the ability to determine a compass route utilizing magnetic cues.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

Magnetic Compass Orientation in a Palaearctic–Indian Night Migrant, the Red-Headed Bunting

Tyagi

Bhardwaj

2021

Animals

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Red-headed buntings (Emberiza bruniceps) perform long-distance migrations within their southerly overwintering grounds and breeding areas in the northern hemisphere. Long-distance migration demands essential orientation mechanisms. The earth’s magnetic field, celestial cues, and memorization of geographical cues en route provide birds with compass knowledge during migration. Birds were tested during spring migration for orientation under natural clear skies, simulated overcast skies at natural day length and temperature, simulated overcast at 22 °C and 38 °C temperatures, and in the deflected (−120°) magnetic field. Under clear skies, the red-headed buntings were oriented NNW (north–northwest); simulated overcast testing resulted in a northerly mean direction at local temperatures as well as at 22 °C and 38 °C. The buntings reacted strongly in favor of the rotated magnetic field under the simulated overcast sky, demonstrating the use of a magnetic compass for migrating in a specific direction.

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Bird orientation: displacement experiments with young autumn migrating wheatears,Oenanthe oenanthe, along the Arctic coast of Russia

Cited by 23 publications

References 17 publications

Route simulations, compass mechanisms and long-distance migration flights in birds

Route simulations, compass mechanisms and long-distance migration flights in birds

Bird orientation at high latitudes: flight routes between Siberia and North America across the Arctic Ocean

Magnetic Compass Orientation in a Palaearctic–Indian Night Migrant, the Red-Headed Bunting

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