Do Migratory Birds Have a Built-In Global Positioning System?
Every year birds make the phenomenal journey to the Antarctic and back to the Arctic. It’s a wonder how the birds determine their route and manage to stay on course for their destination. There are three methods birds use to help them navigate. The first method they use is visual orientation relying on geographic features like rivers, mountain ranges and coastlines. The second method they use for accurate direction is determined by the position of the sun. But some birds that travel at night will use the position of the stars to help them navigate. And lastly the birds can sense the earth’s magnetic field, also known as geomagnetism, for orientation. Even though the location and the route are hard-wired into their brains, they still use a combination of these techniques to bring them successfully to their destination.
