Avian Brains Possess Magnetic Perception Switch
Researchers at Western's Advanced Facility for Avian Research have discovered that migratory birds use a brain region called Cluster N to perceive Earth's magnetic field. The team found that the region is activated very flexibly, meaning these birds have an ability to process, or ignore, geomagnetic information. Specifically, the team studied white-throated sparrows and found they were able to activate Cluster N at night when they were motivated to migrate and make it go dormant when they were resting at a stopover site.