|

Avian Compass Reloaded

ByRichard Nissen Reading Time: 1 minute

http://www.2physics.com/2012/10/avian-compass-reloaded.html

Please find this interesting piece entitled The Avian Compass Reloaded by Dagomir Kaszlikowski at the Centre for Quantum Technologies, Department of Physics, National University of Singapore.

Kaszlikowski talks about the the quantum effect that is required to enable the Cryptochromes in the eye of the European Robin to be sensitive to the earth’s magnetic field. You will find another article here on the site: “the Quantum Robin” written by Peter Hore of Oxford University and one of our heroes.  He and his teams did most of the ground breaking chemistry that postulated that this mechanism existed.

This article builds on this work.  Please also note the remarks by Jim Khalali at Surrey University.

Whilst it is very interesting that the Robin has this ability to tune into the Earth’s Magnetic Field this does not in itself help us understand how they navigate. Knowing where North is is not enough to find your way.  However, we are clear that disturbances of the magnetic field do influence navigation.

Similar Posts

  • Bird Migration

    I believe that it is possible that dowsers may have unique insights into how birds navigate over long distances. There seem to be three principle discussions on how navigation is done: firstly using magnetic orientation especially in homing pigeons, secondly on the use of olfactory clues, thirdly on the anomaly that Robins (Passerines) have their…

  • Avian navigation

    Intro This piece has been forwarded to me by one of our editors: Simon Raggett. He gives us the quantum twist. You will also find much written here on the subject of avian navigation based around gravity from our editor Antonio Nafarrate, who has been in communication with the authors of this piece. Please follow…

  • Murmuration

    http://vimeo.com/31158841 This video shows the amazing whorls and patterns made by a flock of starlings.  You might see these over cities.  These displays used to be common over London, and I think still are over Rome. Whilst there has been much scientific research and theories on why starlings do this, the contention is that the…

  • Another description of how animal navigation might work

    In a recent address to RIN Dr Kate Jeffery of the Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience at University College London described a very complete structure for understanding animal navigation. See https://animalnav.org/navigation-networks-in-the-brain/ We at www.animalnav.org have been struggling with exactly these concerns. Prof Jeffery postulates that you need four things to create a navigation system A compass…

  • Intro This site takes you into the world where technology is trying to understand animal migration by using tags and a sophisticated satellite system to follow routes taken by animals.  Up until now tags have often been very heavy, or at least too heavy for a lot of tiny birds that make huge migrations such…

  • Migratory Songbird

    Phenotypic response to environmental cues, orientation and migration costs in songbirds flying halfway around the world by Heiko Schmaljohann et al. A polar system of intercontinental bird migration by Prof Thomas Alerstam et al. Cross-hemisphere migration of a 25 g songbird by Franz Bairlein et al. One of our heroes Prof Tomas Alerstam has directed us to this fascinating paper by Heiko…