Migrating Birds Can "See" Earth's Magnetic Field

This absolutely fantastic story about bird migration came out in an online German outlet today.

LONDON (Reuters) - Migrating birds, it seems, can "see" the Earth's magnetic field which they use as a compass to guide them around the globe.

Specialized neurons in the eye, sensitive to magnetic direction, have been shown for the first time to connect via a specific brain pathway to an area in the forebrain of birds responsible for vision, German researchers said on Wednesday.

Anyone who has spent more than a few moments in their lifetime has watched and probably wondered about the spectacle of bird migration. And if like me you have wondered "how in hell do they do that?" here is a partial answer.

In March 1985, an assistant of mine captured and color-marked a male Kirtland's Warbler on the Bahamian island of Eleuthera. When captured the bird was in an area of Lantana no more than 4 acres in size. This bird, that we dubed "The Governor" because he was caught near Governor's Harbour, stayed in that four acre patch of vegetation the rest of the winter.

During the summer of 1985 we found The Governor on his nesting territory in northern Michigan where he was with a mate and a nest full of young birds. That following winter we found the Governor in the same four acre patch of Lantana on Eleuthera. During the second summer he was back in the same territory in Michigan. During the third year the Governor was in the same place on Eleuthera all winter and on the same territory in Michigan the following summer.

So how did a simple minded bird weighing less than an ounce navigate so precisely betwen these two areas 2,000 miles apart? By using the earth's magnetic field.

Now, in the current research, we learn a bit more about the wonder of birds and their migration.

The next time you want to call some dolt a "bird brain" you might want to reconsider it. This research shows that its not a derogatory thing after all!