Premium
The Magnetic Field as a Reference System for Genetically Encoded Migratory Direction in Pied Flycatchers ( Ficedula hypoleuca Pallas)
Author(s) -
Beck Willy,
Wiltschko Wolfgang
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
zeitschrift für tierpsychologie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.739
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1439-0310
pISSN - 0044-3573
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0310.1982.tb01075.x
Subject(s) - ficedula , compass , earth's magnetic field , biology , sky , zoology , ecology , geography , magnetic field , physics , cartography , meteorology , quantum mechanics
Abstract To see whether the migratory orientation of pied flycatchers ( Ficedula hypoleuca Pallas) is genetically encoded with respect to the earth magnetic field a group of young birds was hand‐raised. They were thus prevented from ever experiencing the sky. The birds were tested in autumn 1980 and 1981 in the local geomagnetic field (Fig. 1) and in three artificial fields (Fig. 2a‐c). The results show that their magnetic compass matures independent of any experience with the sky and contains sufficient information for the birds to orient toward their migratory direction.