Visual but not trigeminal mediation of magnetic compass information in a migratory bird

Manuela Zapka; Dominik Heyers; Christine M. Hein; Svenja Engels; Nils-Lasse Schneider; Jörg Hans; Simon Weiler; David Dreyer; Dmitry Kishkinev; J. Martin Wild; Henrik Mouritsen

doi:10.1038/nature08528

Visual but not trigeminal mediation of magnetic compass information in a migratory bird

Nature ◽

10.1038/nature08528 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 461 (7268) ◽

pp. 1274-1277 ◽

Cited By ~ 165

Author(s):

Manuela Zapka ◽

Dominik Heyers ◽

Christine M. Hein ◽

Svenja Engels ◽

Nils-Lasse Schneider ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Migratory Bird ◽

Magnetic Compass

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Effect of Wavelength of Light and Pulse Magnetisation on Different Magnetoreception Systems in a Migratory Bird

Australian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1071/zo96066 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 45 (2) ◽

pp. 189 ◽

Cited By ~ 43

Author(s):

Ursula Munro ◽

John A. Munro ◽

John B. Phillips ◽

Wolfgang Wiltschko

Keyword(s):

Red Light ◽

Green Light ◽

Migratory Bird ◽

Magnetic Compass ◽

Magnetic Pulse ◽

Full Spectrum ◽

Migratory Direction ◽

Navigational Map ◽

Orientation Mechanism ◽

Dependent Processes

Two hypotheses on magnetoreception in animals are currently discussed. The first hypothesis is based on light-dependent processes associated with the visual system, while the second hypothesis suggests that magnetoreception is based on biogenic magnetite. Both mechanisms are supported by experimental evidence, but whether the information they provide involves the magnetic compass or the ‘map’ is still open. In order to identify the relevance of light-dependent or magnetite-transduced processes in magnetoreception, juvenile migratory birds were tested for their orientation behaviour in the natural geomagnetic field as the only directional cue available to them. The test birds were juvenile Tasmanian silvereyes (Zosterops l. lateralis), which were caught on their native island soon after fledging, before they had an opportunity to establish a navigational ‘map’. (1) Under ‘white’ (full spectrum) and green light (571 nm), they were well oriented in their appropriate migratory direction, while they were disoriented under red light (633 nm). This coincides with previous findings on adult silvereyes and suggests that light-dependent processes are involved in an orientation mechanism used by both juvenile and adult migrants, namely the magnetic compass. (2) A short, high-intensity magnetic pulse, a treatment designed to alter the magnetisation of magnetite, did not affect the young birds´ orientation. They continued to select their seasonally appropriate migratory direction. In contrast, adult silvereyes from the same population had responded in a previous study with a 90° clockwise deflection from their normal migratory course. These results suggest that (a) magnetite is involved in an orientation mechanism used exclusively by adult migrants; and (b) a magnetite-based receptor is associated with the navigational ‘map’, which provides information on geographic position.

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Lateralization of magnetic compass orientation in a migratory bird

Nature ◽

10.1038/nature00958 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 419 (6906) ◽

pp. 467-470 ◽

Cited By ~ 125

Author(s):

Wolfgang Wiltschko ◽

Joachim Traudt ◽

Onur Güntürkün ◽

Helmut Prior ◽

Roswitha Wiltschko

Keyword(s):

Migratory Bird ◽

Magnetic Compass ◽

Compass Orientation ◽

Magnetic Compass Orientation

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Lateralization of magnetic compass orientation in a migratory bird

e-Neuroforum ◽

10.1515/nf-2003-0104 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Wolfgang Wiltschko ◽

Joachim Traudt ◽

Onur Güntürkün ◽

Helmut Prior ◽

Roswitha Wiltschko

Keyword(s):

Migratory Bird ◽

Magnetic Compass ◽

Compass Orientation ◽

Magnetic Compass Orientation

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Development of lateralization of the magnetic compass in a migratory bird

Proceedings of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspb.2012.1654 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 279 (1745) ◽

pp. 4230-4235 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Dennis Gehring ◽

Wolfgang Wiltschko ◽

Onur Güntürkün ◽

Susanne Denzau ◽

Roswitha Wiltschko

Keyword(s):

Geomagnetic Field ◽

Migratory Bird ◽

Magnetic Compass ◽

The Other ◽

Maturation Process ◽

Erithacus Rubecula ◽

European Robin ◽

Brain Hemisphere ◽

Left Brain ◽

The Right

The magnetic compass of a migratory bird, the European robin ( Erithacus rubecula ), was shown to be lateralized in favour of the right eye/left brain hemisphere. However, this seems to be a property of the avian magnetic compass that is not present from the beginning, but develops only as the birds grow older. During first migration in autumn, juvenile robins can orient by their magnetic compass with their right as well as with their left eye. In the following spring, however, the magnetic compass is already lateralized, but this lateralization is still flexible: it could be removed by covering the right eye for 6 h. During the following autumn migration, the lateralization becomes more strongly fixed, with a 6 h occlusion of the right eye no longer having an effect. This change from a bilateral to a lateralized magnetic compass appears to be a maturation process, the first such case known so far in birds. Because both eyes mediate identical information about the geomagnetic field, brain asymmetry for the magnetic compass could increase efficiency by setting the other hemisphere free for other processes.

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