The magnetite-based receptors in the beak of birds and their role in avian navigation
- 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.
Author: | Roswitha WiltschkoORCiDGND, Wolfgang WiltschkoGND |
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URN: | urn:nbn:de:hebis:30:3-298671 |
DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-012-0769-3 |
ISSN: | 1432-1351 |
ISSN: | 0340-7594 |
Pubmed Id: | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23111859 |
Parent Title (English): | Journal of comparative physiology |
Publisher: | Springer |
Place of publication: | Berlin [u.a.] |
Document Type: | Article |
Language: | English |
Date of Publication (online): | 2012/10/31 |
Date of first Publication: | 2012/10/31 |
Publishing Institution: | Universitätsbibliothek Johann Christian Senckenberg |
Release Date: | 2013/05/10 |
Tag: | Magnetic ‘map’ component; Magnetite-based receptors; Pulse treatment; Trigeminal nerve; ‘Fixed direction’ responses |
Volume: | 199 |
Page Number: | 10 |
First Page: | 89 |
Last Page: | 98 |
Note: | 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. |
HeBIS-PPN: | 339219505 |
Institutes: | Biowissenschaften / Biowissenschaften |
Dewey Decimal Classification: | 5 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik / 59 Tiere (Zoologie) / 590 Tiere (Zoologie) |
Sammlungen: | Universitätspublikationen |
Sammlung Biologie / Sondersammelgebiets-Volltexte | |
Licence (German): | Creative Commons - Namensnennung 3.0 |