Quote:
Originally Posted by lonewolf
yes now and the next 2 weeks is peak migration for birds from SA > NA. obviously looking at a map of the americas you can see how texas is a bit of a choke point on this route. birds use stars to navigate and cities disorient and reroute them with bad consequences. turn off yer lights!
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Only some birds use the stars (more specifically - one star) to navigate. They do not know star patterns (constellations) themselves. However, they learn a north-south orientation based on a rotational star pattern.
Other migratory birds are known to rely on Earth's magnetic field to help them navigate the globe. And, it is suspected that a protein called cryptochrome, which is sensitive to blue light, was making it possible for birds to do this.
Researchers from UT-Southwestern and SMU found that cryptochromes from migratory birds have evolved a mechanism that enhances their ability to respond to light, which can enable them to sense and respond to magnetic fields.
There...your ornithology lesson for the day!