Compensatory Behaviour after Displacement in Migratory Birds - a Meta-Analysis of Cage Experiments

From Pubwiki

[edit] Author(s)

• Thorup, K.
• Rabol, J.

[edit] Journal

Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 61.6 (2007): 825-41.

[edit] Keywords

bird migrants orientation system compensation displacements bunting passerina cyanea white-crowned sparrows erithacus-rubecula orientation navigation autumn migrants cues compass denmark

[edit] Abstract

Using a meta-analysis approach we re-analysed orientation cage experiments with displaced migrants found in the literature. A rather large proportion of the orientation experiments showed directional shifts after displacements, indicating ability for birds to detect and react on such displacements. There was a clear difference between overcast and experiments where birds had a view of the starry sky. In experiments under a starry sky, the birds compensated the displacements, whilst under overcast unaltered or reverse orientations were generally displayed. This indicates a role for the stars to be involved in detection of the changes in position. Such a role of celestial cues is further stressed by the results of several studies manipulating a planetarium sky.

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