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Avian orientation at steep angles of inclination: experiments with migratory white-crowned sparrows at the magnetic North Pole

Åkesson, Susanne LU ; Morin, Jens ; Muheim, Rachel LU and Ottosson, Ulf LU (2001) In Royal Society of London. Proceedings B. Biological Sciences 268(1479). p.1907-1913
Abstract
The Earths magnetic field and celestial cues provide animals with compass information during migration.Inherited magnetic compass courses are selected based on the angle of inclination, making itdifficult to orient in the near vertical fields found at high geomagnetic latitudes. Orientation cage experimentswere performed at different sites in high Arctic Canada with adult and young white-crownedsparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii) in order to investigate birds ability to use the Earths magneticfield and celestial cues for orientation in naturally very steep magnetic fields at and close to the magneticNorth Pole. Experiments were performed during the natural period of migration at night in the localgeomagnetic field under natural... (More)
The Earths magnetic field and celestial cues provide animals with compass information during migration.Inherited magnetic compass courses are selected based on the angle of inclination, making itdifficult to orient in the near vertical fields found at high geomagnetic latitudes. Orientation cage experimentswere performed at different sites in high Arctic Canada with adult and young white-crownedsparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii) in order to investigate birds ability to use the Earths magneticfield and celestial cues for orientation in naturally very steep magnetic fields at and close to the magneticNorth Pole. Experiments were performed during the natural period of migration at night in the localgeomagnetic field under natural clear skies and under simulated total overcast conditions. The experimentalbirds failed to select a meaningful magnetic compass course under overcast conditions at themagnetic North Pole, but could do so in geomagnetic fields deviating less than 38 from the vertical.Migratory orientation was successful at all sites when celestial cues were available. (Less)
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author
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publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Royal Society of London. Proceedings B. Biological Sciences
volume
268
issue
1479
pages
1907 - 1913
publisher
Royal Society Publishing
external identifiers
  • wos:000171288500007
  • scopus:0035934615
  • pmid:11564346
ISSN
1471-2954
DOI
10.1098/rspb.2001.1736
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
469ac62f-c828-42c2-bcd6-76129ea7683b (old id 131249)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 15:56:16
date last changed
2024-05-10 16:19:34
@article{469ac62f-c828-42c2-bcd6-76129ea7683b,
  abstract     = {{The Earths magnetic field and celestial cues provide animals with compass information during migration.Inherited magnetic compass courses are selected based on the angle of inclination, making itdifficult to orient in the near vertical fields found at high geomagnetic latitudes. Orientation cage experimentswere performed at different sites in high Arctic Canada with adult and young white-crownedsparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii) in order to investigate birds ability to use the Earths magneticfield and celestial cues for orientation in naturally very steep magnetic fields at and close to the magneticNorth Pole. Experiments were performed during the natural period of migration at night in the localgeomagnetic field under natural clear skies and under simulated total overcast conditions. The experimentalbirds failed to select a meaningful magnetic compass course under overcast conditions at themagnetic North Pole, but could do so in geomagnetic fields deviating less than 38 from the vertical.Migratory orientation was successful at all sites when celestial cues were available.}},
  author       = {{Åkesson, Susanne and Morin, Jens and Muheim, Rachel and Ottosson, Ulf}},
  issn         = {{1471-2954}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1479}},
  pages        = {{1907--1913}},
  publisher    = {{Royal Society Publishing}},
  series       = {{Royal Society of London. Proceedings B. Biological Sciences}},
  title        = {{Avian orientation at steep angles of inclination: experiments with migratory white-crowned sparrows at the magnetic North Pole}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/4518639/624185.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1098/rspb.2001.1736}},
  volume       = {{268}},
  year         = {{2001}},
}