Chickens orient using a magnetic compass

Freire, Rafael; Munro, Ursula; Rogers, Lesley J.; Wiltschko, Roswitha; Wiltschko, Wolfgang

doi:10.1016/j.cub.2005.08.017

Cited by 65 publications

(59 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Birds trained and tested under low-intensity 521 nm green light oriented as expected along the trained magnetic compass axis, as has previously been shown under full-spectrum white light (Muheim et al, 2016). Axial orientation along the trained magnetic compass axis, instead of unimodal orientation towards the trained magnetic direction, has been documented in previous magnetic training studies in birds (Freire et al, 2005;Voss et al, 2007;Muheim et al, 2016). The reasons for this axiality are currently unknown, but could be related to the birds' motivation, the experimental procedure, or the perception of the magnetic field, i.e.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 72%

“…Chickens (Gallus gallus) have been shown to be able to orient towards a specific magnetic direction associated with a social stimulus (Freire et al, 2005;Denzau et al, 2013). Zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) are able to orient towards a magnetic compass direction associated with a food reward when trained in an open arena (Voss et al, 2007) or in a 4-arm 'plus' maze (Muheim et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Zebra finches have a light-dependent magnetic compass similar to migratory birds

Pinzon-Rodriguez

Muheim

2017

Journal of Experimental Biology

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Birds have a light-dependent magnetic compass that provides information about the spatial alignment of the geomagnetic field. It is proposed to be located in the avian retina and mediated by a lightinduced, radical-pair mechanism involving cryptochromes as sensory receptor molecules. To investigate how the behavioural responses of birds under different light spectra match with cryptochromes as the primary magnetoreceptor, we examined the spectral properties of the magnetic compass in zebra finches. We trained birds to relocate a food reward in a spatial orientation task using magnetic compass cues. The birds were well oriented along the trained magnetic compass axis when trained and tested under low-irradiance 521 nm green light. In the presence of a 1.4 MHz radio-frequency electromagnetic (RF)-field, the birds were disoriented, which supports the involvement of radical-pair reactions in the primary magnetoreception process. Birds trained and tested under 638 nm red light showed a weak tendency to orient ∼45 deg clockwise of the trained magnetic direction. Under low-irradiance 460 nm blue light, they tended to orient along the trained magnetic compass axis, but were disoriented under higher irradiance light. Zebra finches trained and tested under high-irradiance 430 nm indigo light were well oriented along the trained magnetic compass axis, but disoriented in the presence of a RF-field. We conclude that magnetic compass responses of zebra finches are similar to those observed in nocturnally migrating birds and agree with cryptochromes as the primary magnetoreceptor, suggesting that light-dependent, radicalpair-mediated magnetoreception is a common property for all birds, including non-migratory species.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 72%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Zebra finches have a light-dependent magnetic compass similar to migratory birds

Pinzon-Rodriguez

Muheim

2017

Journal of Experimental Biology

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“…Its biological significance is clear: it is the normal compass that birds use to locate compass courses. Migratory birds use it to find their innate migratory direction, pigeons rely on the inclination compass to locate their home course (Keeton 1971;Walcott & Green 1974) and chickens and zebra finches locate directions set by the experimenter (Freire et al 2005;Voss et al 2007). In young pigeons, it also serves as a directional reference in the learning processes establishing the sun compass (Wiltschko, W. et al 1983) and probably also for establishing the navigational map.…”

Section: Significance Of the Two Types Of Responsesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Directional orientation of birds by the magnetic field under different light conditions

Wiltschko

Stapput

Thalau

et al. 2009

J. R. Soc. Interface.

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153

199

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This paper reviews the directional orientation of birds with the help of the geomagnetic field under various light conditions. Two fundamentally different types of response can be distinguished. (i) Compass orientation controlled by the inclination compass that allows birds to locate courses of different origin. This is restricted to a narrow functional window around the total intensity of the local geomagnetic field and requires light from the short-wavelength part of the spectrum. The compass is based on radical-pair processes in the right eye; magnetite-based receptors in the beak are not involved. Compass orientation is observed under 'white' and low-level monochromatic light from ultraviolet (UV) to about 565 nm green light. (ii) 'Fixed direction' responses occur under artificial light conditions such as more intense monochromatic light, when 590 nm yellow light is added to short-wavelength light, and in total darkness. The manifestation of these responses depends on the ambient light regime and is 'fixed' in the sense of not showing the normal change between spring and autumn; their biological significance is unclear. In contrast to compass orientation, fixed-direction responses are polar magnetic responses and occur within a wide range of magnetic intensities. They are disrupted by local anaesthesia of the upper beak, which indicates that the respective magnetic information is mediated by iron-based receptors located there. The influence of light conditions on the two types of response suggests complex interactions between magnetoreceptors in the right eye, those in the upper beak and the visual system.

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“…Until recently, the only two successful attempts of operant conditioning in birds to magnetic stimuli (Mora et al, 2004) involved magnetic anomalies rather than changes in magnetic direction. Freire et al (2005) used the young domestic chick's motivation to locate a hidden social stimulus to demonstrate the first conditioned magnetic compass response in birds. Additionally, Freire et al (2005) had shown that the chick's ability to orient using magnetic cues has been retained after thousands of years of domestication.…”

Section: The Behavioral Research Model Of Avian Magnetic Orientationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Freire et al (2005) used the young domestic chick's motivation to locate a hidden social stimulus to demonstrate the first conditioned magnetic compass response in birds. Additionally, Freire et al (2005) had shown that the chick's ability to orient using magnetic cues has been retained after thousands of years of domestication.…”

Section: The Behavioral Research Model Of Avian Magnetic Orientationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mechanisms of Avian Magnetic Orientation

Rizak¹,

Yi²

2009

Zoological Research

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Among the most fascinating mysteries of life is the interaction between biological systems and the earth's magnetic field. Although earth's magnetism may have an under appreciated role in biological interpretations, it has been most extensively studied in the processes of avian orientation and migration. Many species of bird are known to have behavioral responses to the earth's and artificial magnetic fields. These responses may be mediated by a number of potential magneto-biochemical processes. The two most commonly investigated include a magnetosensitive magnetite rich region in the upper beak area and a photo/magnetoreception process in the eyes of various bird species. In addition to external magnetic stimuli, recent findings in visually restricted birds have described a hemispherically lateralized interpretation of this information within the brain. Even with these findings, a considerable amount of work is needed to clarify what information is processed and how it is used to create the bird's magnetic compass. This review focuses these recently published findings as a means to assess this intriguing phenomenon.

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Chickens orient using a magnetic compass

Cited by 65 publications

References 7 publications

Zebra finches have a light-dependent magnetic compass similar to migratory birds

Zebra finches have a light-dependent magnetic compass similar to migratory birds

Directional orientation of birds by the magnetic field under different light conditions

Mechanisms of Avian Magnetic Orientation

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