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Abstract

Experiments with migrating birds displaced during autumn migration outside their normal migration corridor reveal two different navigational strategies: adult migrants compensate for the displacement, and head towards their traditional wintering areas, whereas young first-time migrants continue in their migratory direction. Young birds are guided to their still unknown goal by a genetically coded migration program that indicates duration and direction(s) of the migratory flight by controlling the amount of migratory restlessness and the compass course(s) with respect to the geomagnetic field and celestial rotation. Adult migrants that have already wintered and are familiar with the goal area approach the goal by true navigation, specifically heading towards it and changing their course correspondingly after displacement. During their first journey, young birds experience the distribution of potential navigational factors en route and in their winter home, which allows them to truly navigate on their next migrations. The navigational factors used appear to include magnetic intensity as a component in their multi-modal navigational ‘map’; olfactory input is also involved, even if it is not yet entirely clear in what way. The mechanisms of migratory birds for true navigation over long distances appear to be in principle similar to those discussed for by homing pigeons.

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  1. FB Biowissenschaften, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Biologicum, Max von Laue-Str. 13, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Roswitha Wiltschko

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Wiltschko, R. Navigation. J Comp Physiol A 203, 455–463 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-017-1160-1

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