Creature Feature – How Do They Know?

Many of our feathered friends have already begun their autumn migration. Do you ever wonder how they know where to go? Avian migration is one of the most intriguing phenomena of the natural world; and while much of it remains shrouded in mystery, ornithologists continue to learn more about the different ways birds navigate during their arduous journeys that often span oceans and continents. 

Daytime migrants use natural features for landmarks such as rivers and mountain ranges to help map their course, while nocturnal travelers rely on the moon and stars as guides. The rising and setting of the sun provides birds with other directional clues. It’s also likely that certain species of seabirds use their sense of smell to guide them across wide expanses of water devoid of visual landmarks. 

It’s mind-boggling how juvenile birds from a wide variety of species make their first migration without any guidance from their parents. Scientists believe they hatch with genetic programming that provides some baseline knowledge on where they must go; then, as they gain experience, their travel route gets “fine-tuned.”

Perhaps most intriguing of all is how birds seem to have the ability to detect and use the Earth’s magnetic field to help them navigate during migration. Exactly how they do this remains a mystery that scientists continue to ponder.

Article & photo by Margie Manthey