Migratory Eurasian reed warblers can use magnetic declination to solve the longitude problem

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Standard Standard

Migratory Eurasian reed warblers can use magnetic declination to solve the longitude problem. / Chernetsov, Nikita; Pakhomov, Alexander; Kobylkov, Dmitry et al.
In: Current Biology, Vol. 27, No. 17, 11.09.2017, p. 2647-2651.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

HarvardHarvard

Chernetsov, N, Pakhomov, A, Kobylkov, D, Kishkinev, D, Holland, R & Mouritsen, H 2017, 'Migratory Eurasian reed warblers can use magnetic declination to solve the longitude problem', Current Biology, vol. 27, no. 17, pp. 2647-2651. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2017.07.024

APA

Chernetsov, N., Pakhomov, A., Kobylkov, D., Kishkinev, D., Holland, R., & Mouritsen, H. (2017). Migratory Eurasian reed warblers can use magnetic declination to solve the longitude problem. Current Biology, 27(17), 2647-2651. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2017.07.024

CBE

Chernetsov N, Pakhomov A, Kobylkov D, Kishkinev D, Holland R, Mouritsen H. 2017. Migratory Eurasian reed warblers can use magnetic declination to solve the longitude problem. Current Biology. 27(17):2647-2651. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2017.07.024

MLA

VancouverVancouver

Chernetsov N, Pakhomov A, Kobylkov D, Kishkinev D, Holland R, Mouritsen H. Migratory Eurasian reed warblers can use magnetic declination to solve the longitude problem. Current Biology. 2017 Sept 11;27(17):2647-2651. Epub 2017 Aug 17. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.07.024

Author

Chernetsov, Nikita ; Pakhomov, Alexander ; Kobylkov, Dmitry et al. / Migratory Eurasian reed warblers can use magnetic declination to solve the longitude problem. In: Current Biology. 2017 ; Vol. 27, No. 17. pp. 2647-2651.

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Migratory Eurasian reed warblers can use magnetic declination to solve the longitude problem

AU - Chernetsov, Nikita

AU - Pakhomov, Alexander

AU - Kobylkov, Dmitry

AU - Kishkinev, Dmitry

AU - Holland, Richard

AU - Mouritsen, Henrik

PY - 2017/9/11

Y1 - 2017/9/11

N2 - The longitude problem (determining East-West position) is a classical problem in human sea navigation. Prior to the use of GPS satellites, extraordinarily accurate clocks measuring the difference between local time and a fixed reference (e.g., GMT) were needed to determine longitude. Birds do not appear to possess a time-difference clock sense. Nevertheless, experienced night-migratory songbirds can correct for East-West displacements to unknown locations. Consequently, migratory birds must solve the longitude problem in a different way, but how they do so has remained a scientific mystery. Here we suggest that experienced adult Eurasian reed warblers (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) can use magnetic declination (the difference in direction between geographic and magnetic North) to solve the longitude-problem at least under some circumstances under clear skies. Experienced migrants tested during autumn migration in Rybachy, Russia were exposed to an 8.5° change in declination while all other cues remained unchanged. This corresponds to a virtual magnetic displacement to Scotland if and only if magnetic declination is a part of their map. The adult migrants responded by changing their heading by 151° from WSW to ESE, consistent with compensation for the virtual magnetic displacement. Juvenile migrants that had not yet established a navigational map also oriented WSW at the capture site, but became randomly oriented when the magnetic declination was shifted 8.5°. In combination with latitudinal cues, which birds are known to detect and use, magnetic declination could provide the mostly east-west component for a true bi-coordinate navigation system under clear skies for experienced migratory birds in some areas of the globe.

AB - The longitude problem (determining East-West position) is a classical problem in human sea navigation. Prior to the use of GPS satellites, extraordinarily accurate clocks measuring the difference between local time and a fixed reference (e.g., GMT) were needed to determine longitude. Birds do not appear to possess a time-difference clock sense. Nevertheless, experienced night-migratory songbirds can correct for East-West displacements to unknown locations. Consequently, migratory birds must solve the longitude problem in a different way, but how they do so has remained a scientific mystery. Here we suggest that experienced adult Eurasian reed warblers (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) can use magnetic declination (the difference in direction between geographic and magnetic North) to solve the longitude-problem at least under some circumstances under clear skies. Experienced migrants tested during autumn migration in Rybachy, Russia were exposed to an 8.5° change in declination while all other cues remained unchanged. This corresponds to a virtual magnetic displacement to Scotland if and only if magnetic declination is a part of their map. The adult migrants responded by changing their heading by 151° from WSW to ESE, consistent with compensation for the virtual magnetic displacement. Juvenile migrants that had not yet established a navigational map also oriented WSW at the capture site, but became randomly oriented when the magnetic declination was shifted 8.5°. In combination with latitudinal cues, which birds are known to detect and use, magnetic declination could provide the mostly east-west component for a true bi-coordinate navigation system under clear skies for experienced migratory birds in some areas of the globe.

KW - magnetic compass

KW - star compass

KW - magnetic sense

KW - magnetic map

KW - bird migration

KW - bird navigation

U2 - 10.1016/j.cub.2017.07.024

DO - 10.1016/j.cub.2017.07.024

M3 - Article

VL - 27

SP - 2647

EP - 2651

JO - Current Biology

JF - Current Biology

SN - 0960-9822

IS - 17

ER -