This link is important as it gives you more information on the work done by David Keays et al, which proved that the magnetite particle array supposed to exist in the upper beak, creates a magnetic compass response mechanism for birds, does not exist.
As this article suggests the other candidate for magnetic response is a quantum effect in the cryptochromes in the birds eyes.
Richard Nissen
Editor
Cuckoo Migration is one of the great mysteries and to date there is still no agreement on how Cuckoos find their way to the Congo for the winter starting from different locations in Europe. The team at Copenhagen University under Prof Kasper Thorup have been able to tag fledgling cuckoos to follow their migration….
Intro>> The Rutland (England) Osprey Project has been running for 18 years when Ospreys began to breed again on Rutland Water in the UK after 150 years. These birds are cared for by the Rutland Osprey Project who have fitted GPS trackers to some of these birds which give very accurate and detailed data of…
The Cuckoo is one of the migrants we know least about once it leaves the UK, however the BTO track, on their amazing site, the movements of five Cuckoos from breeding grounds in East Anglia to their winter quarters in Africa. http://www.bto.org/science/migration/tracking-studies/cuckoo-tracking Cuckoo tracking what we’ve learnt so far: http://www.bto.org/science/migration/tracking-studies/cuckoo-tracking/what-have-we-learnt Latest Cuckoo tracking news: http://www.bto.org/science/migration/tracking-studies/cuckoo-tracking/european-cuckoo-study…
A recent paper called “Modelling collective navigation via non-local communication”has been published by S. T. Johnston(1) and K. J. Painter(2). They tell us that a group of individuals produce better navigational results thanindividuals which is why flocks of birds are more efficient than a solo migrant. TheRAF confirms this where they have found that a…
Alaska Bird Makes Longest Nonstop Flight Ever Measured USGS Alaska Science Center Bar–tailed Godwit Updates
I was delighted to be able to attend the animal navigation conference at Reading University in May 2008. I attended as a dowser with the theory that animals can and do follow dowsable clues including earth energy lines as an aid to navigation. We all know that dowsers (water diviners) can find water. However what…