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

Journal of Comparative Physiology. A, Neuroethology, Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology
Susanne Åkesson, Giuseppe Bianco

Abstract

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...Continue Reading

References

Feb 24, 2001·Science·T AlerstamA Hedenstrom
Apr 17, 2004·Science·William W CochranMartin Wikelski
Sep 6, 2005·Current Biology : CB·James L Gould
Aug 12, 2006·Science·Rachel MuheimSusanne Akesson
Dec 14, 2006·Journal of the Optical Society of America. A, Optics, Image Science, and Vision·Ramón HegedüsGábor Horváth
Jul 11, 2007·Journal of the Optical Society of America. A, Optics, Image Science, and Vision·Ramón HegedüsGábor Horváth
Apr 7, 1972·Science·W Wiltschko, R Wiltschko
Nov 1, 2008·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Robert E GillTheunis Piersma
Apr 21, 2009·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Barbara HelmEberhard Gwinner
May 18, 2010·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Johanna GrönroosSusanne Akesson
May 27, 2011·Biology Letters·Raymond H G KlaassenAke Lindström
Oct 28, 2011·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Tim GuilfordVerner P Bingman
Feb 18, 2012·Biology Letters·Franz BairleinHeiko Schmaljohann
Jun 28, 2013·Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·C J PennycuickAnders Hedenström
Dec 3, 2014·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Nele LefeldtHenrik Mouritsen
Sep 2, 2015·Current Biology : CB·Jason W ChapmanAndy M Reynolds
Aug 17, 2016·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·Susanne ÅkessonAnders Hedenström
Aug 17, 2016·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·Anders Hedenström, Susanne Åkesson

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Oct 11, 2017·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·Susanne ÅkessonBarbara Helm
Oct 4, 2019·The Journal of Animal Ecology·Gabriel NorevikAnders Hedenström
Jul 12, 2018·Movement Ecology·Rachel MuheimThomas Alerstam
Jun 13, 2021·Movement Ecology·Fernando Benitez-PaezUrška Demšar

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Cell Migration

Cell migration is involved in a variety of physiological and pathological processes such as embryonic development, cancer metastasis, blood vessel formation and remoulding, tissue regeneration, immune surveillance and inflammation. Here is the latest research.