TY  - JOUR
A1  - Wiltschko, Roswitha
A1  - Wiltschko, Wolfgang
T1  - The magnetite-based receptors in the beak of birds and their role in avian navigation
T2  - Journal of comparative physiology
N2  - Iron-rich structures have been described in the beak of homing pigeons, chickens and several species of migratory birds and interpreted as magnetoreceptors. Here, we will briefly review findings associated with these receptors that throw light on their nature, their function and their role in avian navigation. Electrophysiological recordings from the ophthalmic nerve, behavioral studies and a ZENK-study indicate that the trigeminal system, the nerves innervating the beak, mediate information on magnetic changes, with the electrophysiological study suggesting that these are changes in intensity. Behavioral studies support the involvement of magnetite and the trigeminal system in magnetoreception, but clearly show that the inclination compass normally used by birds represents a separate system. However, if this compass is disrupted by certain light conditions, migrating birds show 'fixed direction' responses to the magnetic field, which originate in the receptors in the beak. Together, these findings point out that there are magnetite-based magnetoreceptors located in the upper beak close to the skin. Their natural function appears to be recording magnetic intensity and thus providing one component of the multi-factorial 'navigational map' of birds.
KW  - Magnetite-based receptors
KW  - Pulse treatment
KW  - Trigeminal nerve
KW  - ‘Fixed direction’ responses
KW  - Magnetic ‘map’ component
Y1  - 2012
UR  - http://publikationen.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/29867
UR  - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:hebis:30:3-298671
SN  - 1432-1351
SN  - 0340-7594
N1  - Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits any use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and the source are credited.
VL  - 199
SP  - 89
EP  - 98
PB  - Springer
CY  - Berlin [u.a.]
ER  -