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Magnetic map navigation in a migratory songbird requires trigeminal input
Alexander Pakhomov1,2, Anna Anashina1,2, Dominik Heyers3,4
1Biological Station Rybachy, Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, 238535, Rybachy, Kaliningrad Region, Russia.
Scientific Reports
|August 12, 2018
Summary
Migratory birds use their trigeminal nerve to sense magnetic fields for navigation. Ablating this nerve prevents Eurasian reed warblers from re-orienting after magnetic displacement, proving its necessity for their magnetic positioning system.
Area of Science:
- Avian navigation
- Magnetoreception
- Neuroethology
Background:
- Migratory birds rely on magnetic cues for navigation, but the sensory systems involved remain unclear.
- Virtual magnetic displacement experiments confirm the importance of magnetic cues for bird positioning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate which sensory system(s) Eurasian reed warblers use to detect magnetic map cues.
- To determine the role of the trigeminal nerve in magnetic orientation.
Main Methods:
- Virtual magnetic displacement experiments were conducted on Eurasian reed warblers.
- Surgical ablation of the ophthalmic branches of the trigeminal nerves was performed on experimental groups.
- Sham surgeries were performed on control groups.
- Re-orientation behavior after virtual magnetic displacement was recorded and analyzed.
Main Results:
- Birds with ablated trigeminal nerves failed to re-orient after virtual magnetic displacement.
- Sham-operated and control birds successfully re-oriented after virtual magnetic displacement.
- The results mirror findings from studies involving real physical magnetic displacement.
Conclusions:
- Trigeminal nerve input is essential for Eurasian reed warblers to detect virtual magnetic displacements.
- Sensory information mediated by the trigeminal nerve is necessary for the magnetic positioning system in these birds.
- This study identifies the trigeminal nerve as a key component in avian magnetoreception.
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