Orientation of Homing Pigeons Altered by a Change in the Direction of an Applied Magnetic Field

Walcott, Charles D.; Green, Robert P.

doi:10.1126/science.184.4133.180

Cited by 252 publications

(94 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…If the behaviour is undertaken to determine local values of geomagnetic intensity for position determination, then irregular spatial and temporal variations of the intensity field should make assessment of field strength (to a level of resolution sufficient for position determination) more difficult, because pigeons would have to extract intensity estimates from a noisier total signal. It is possible that the increases in disoriented flight which occur in response to magnetic perturbations (Keeton et al 1974;Walcott & Green 1974;Walcott 1978;Kiepenheuer 1982;Lednor & Walcott 1983) result from the difficulties pigeons experience as they attempt to assess the intensity field in a more complex magnetic 'topography'.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evidence that pigeons orient to geomagnetic intensity during homing

2007

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The influence of the Earth's magnetic field on locomotory orientation has been studied in many taxa but is best understood for homing pigeons (Columba livia). Effects of experimentally induced and naturally occurring perturbations in the geomagnetic field suggest that pigeons are sensitive to changes in geomagnetic parameters. However, whether pigeons use the Earth's magnetic field for position determination remains unknown. Here we report an apparent orientation to the intensity gradient of the geomagnetic field observed in pigeons homing from sites in and around a magnetic anomaly. From flight trajectories recorded by GPS-based tracking devices, we noted that many pigeons released at unfamiliar sites initially flew, in some cases up to several kilometres, in directions parallel and/or perpendicular to the bearing of the local intensity field. This behaviour occurred irrespective of the homeward direction and significantly more often than what was expected by random chance. Our study describes a novel behaviour which provides strong evidence that pigeons when homing detect and respond to spatial variation in the Earth's magnetic field-information of potential use for navigation.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evidence that pigeons orient to geomagnetic intensity during homing

2007

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“…Despite this, extensive research over the past 30 years has demonstrated that many organisms have the biochemical ability to precipitate the ferrimagnetic minerals magnetite (Fe3O4) (10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16) and greigite (Fe3S4) (17). In terms of its phyletic distribution, magnetite biomineralization is particularly widespread, having been documented in monerans (10), protists (11), and animals (12)(13)(14)(15)(16), with a fossil record extending back into Precambrian time (18). Within Kingdom Animalia, it is known within the mollusks (12), arthropods (13), and chordates (14,15) and is suspected in many more groups (16).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In terms of its phyletic distribution, magnetite biomineralization is particularly widespread, having been documented in monerans (10), protists (11), and animals (12)(13)(14)(15)(16), with a fossil record extending back into Precambrian time (18). Within Kingdom Animalia, it is known within the mollusks (12), arthropods (13), and chordates (14,15) and is suspected in many more groups (16). In the microorganisms (10,11) and fish (15), linear chains of membrane-bound crystals of magnetite (magnetosomes) form structures best described as "biological bar magnets.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Magnetite biomineralization in the human brain.

Kirschvink

Kobayashi-Kirschvink

Woodford

1992

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

535

357

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Although the mineral magnetite (Fe3O4) is precipitated biochemically by bacteria, protists, and a variety of animals, it has not been documented previously in human tissue. Using an ultrasensitive superconducting magnetometer in a clean-lab environment, we have detected the presence of ferromagnetic material in a variety of tissues from the human brain. Magnetic particle extracts from solubilized brain tissues examined with high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction, and elemental analyses identify minerals in the magnetitemaghemite family, with many of the crystal morphologies and structures resembling strongly those precipitated by magnetotactic bacteria and fish. These magnetic and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy measurements imply the presence of a minimum of 5 million single-domain crystals per gram for most tissues in the brain and >100 million crystals per gram for pia and dura. Magnetic property data indicate the crystals are in clumps of between 50 and 100 particles. Biogenic magnetite in the human brain may account for high-field saturation effects observed in the Ti and T2 values of magnetic resonance imaging and, perhaps, for a variety of biological effects of low-frequency magnetic fields.

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“…The responses observed may be elicited by the magnetic field direction, and even by intensity of the field. Compass reactions involve choice of flight direction by horning pigeons (Walcott and Green 1974) and directional preferences in orientation areas of migratory species such as the European robin (Erithacus rubecula) (Wiltsch-1972). Reactions to the geomagnetic field intensity, the so-called map responses, in dude accurate positioning by pigeons (Gould 1980(Gould , 1982Moore 1980;Walcott 1980).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%