scholarly journals Hoverflies use a time-compensated sun compass to orientate during autumn migration

2021 ◽  
Vol 288 (1959) ◽  
pp. 20211805
Author(s):  
Richard Massy ◽  
Will L. S. Hawkes ◽  
Toby Doyle ◽  
Jolyon Troscianko ◽  
Myles H. M. Menz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Circadian Clocks ◽  
Autumn Migration ◽  
Flight Simulator ◽  
Butterfly Species ◽  
Field Observations ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Migratory Species ◽  
Sun Compass ◽  
Seasonal Movements

The sun is the most reliable celestial cue for orientation available to daytime migrants. It is widely assumed that diurnal migratory insects use a ‘time-compensated sun compass’ to adjust for the changing position of the sun throughout the day, as demonstrated in some butterfly species. The mechanisms used by other groups of diurnal insect migrants remain to be elucidated. Migratory species of hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) are one of the most abundant and beneficial groups of diurnal migrants, providing multiple ecosystem services and undergoing directed seasonal movements throughout much of the temperate zone. To identify the hoverfly navigational strategy, a flight simulator was used to measure orientation responses of the hoverflies Scaeva pyrastri and Scaeva selenitica to celestial cues during their autumn migration. Hoverflies oriented southwards when they could see the sun and shifted this orientation westward following a 6 h advance of their circadian clocks. Our results demonstrate the use of a time-compensated sun compass as the primary navigational mechanism, consistent with field observations that hoverfly migration occurs predominately under clear and sunny conditions.

scholarly journals Ontogeny of the star compass in birds: pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) can establish the star compass in spring

2021 ◽  
Vol 224 (3) ◽  
pp. jeb237875
Author(s):  
Anna Zolotareva ◽  
Gleb Utvenko ◽  
Nadezhda Romanova ◽  
Alexander Pakhomov ◽  
Nikita Chernetsov
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Ficedula Hypoleuca ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Autumn Migration ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Vertical Magnetic Field ◽  
Sun Compass ◽  
Star Compass

ABSTRACTThe star compass of birds, like the sun compass, is not innate. To possess either of them, birds have to observe the rotating sky and determine its centre of rotation (in the case of the star compass) or the sun's movement (for the sun compass). Young birds are believed to learn how to use the star compass before their first migration, even though the evidence of this is lacking. Here, we tested whether hand-raised Pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) that had not established the star compass prior to their first autumn migration can gain it later in their ontogeny, in spring. We also attempted to examine whether the observation of diurnal celestial cues (the sun and polarized light) prior to autumn migration would affect the process of star compass learning in spring. When tested in the vertical magnetic field under the natural starry sky, the group of birds that observed the stars in spring as the first celestial cues were able to choose the migratory direction. In contrast, the birds that had never seen the stars were not able to use the nightly celestial cues in the vertical magnetic field. However, birds that had seen the daytime celestial cues till autumn and the stars at spring were disoriented, although this might be due to the small sample size. Our data suggest the possibility that the star compass may be learned in spring and emphasize the necessity for further research into the interaction of celestial compasses.

The Safe Aircraft Competition, The Sun Compass, and more

1930 ◽  
Vol 142 (3) ◽  
pp. 232-234
Author(s):  
Alexander Klemin
Keyword(s):  
The Sun ◽  
Sun Compass

Orientation and dispersal of hatchling Blanding’s turtles (Emydoidea blandingii) from experimental nests

2009 ◽  
Vol 87 (9) ◽  
pp. 755-766 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Pappas ◽  
J. D. Congdon ◽  
B. J. Brecke ◽  
J. D. Capps
Keyword(s):  
Forest Succession ◽  
Environmental Cues ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Dispersal Patterns ◽  
Sun Compass ◽  
Emydoidea Blandingii ◽  
Late Afternoon ◽  
Nest Sites ◽  
Pine Trees ◽  
Riparian Habitats

We determined initial dispersal directions of 1052 naïve and 278 experienced hatchling Blanding’s turtles (Emydoidea blandingii (Holbrook, 1838)) in experimental arenas in a variety of settings. Dispersal of naïve hatchlings was nonrandom in 7 of 10 sites. All nonrandom dispersal patterns suggested hatchlings primarily used vision to orient toward dark far horizons, particularly those associated with riparian habitats. We found no evidence that hatchlings use positive geotaxis, olfaction, humidity gradients, or scent trailing of other individuals during dispersal. Despite the lack of relationships between the changing position of the sun and relationships between nest sites and wetlands, patterns of dispersal were different for hatchlings released in the morning and late afternoon at two sites. Comparisons of the dispersal of naïve and translocated experienced hatchlings (those with previous exposure to environmental cues) suggest that hatchlings develop a sun compass within 2 days of emergence from nests. Based on all nonrandom dispersals of hatchlings at arenas, the estimated maximum perception distance of hatchlings was 325 m. In some situations, forest succession, agriculture activities, and introduction of pine trees may increase risks faced by hatchlings dispersing from nests by reducing their ability to find wetlands.

scholarly journals Operationalizing the telecoupling framework for migratory species using the spatial subsidies approach to examine ecosystem services provided by Mexican free-tailed bats

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura López-Hoffman ◽  
Jay Diffendorfer ◽  
Ruscena Wiederholt ◽  
Kenneth J. Bagstad ◽  
Wayne E. Thogmartin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Migratory Species ◽  
Spatial Subsidies

scholarly journals DINAMIKA PENENTUAN ARAH KIBLAT

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dwi Putra Jaya
Keyword(s):  
The Sun ◽  
Sun Compass ◽  
Early Stages ◽  
The Temple ◽  
The Way

Abstract: To know the direction of Qiblah is already a lot of tools. Can be through measurements, can also use a prayer rug that has a compass Qiblah direction that is widely used in mosques. However, in order to attain the virtue of charity, it is necessary to make sure that the direction approached in the direction precisely facing the Temple. The way of determining the direction of the Qiblah for mosques has evolved in accordance with the development of knowledge held by Islamic societies, in the early stages using a very simple way, then progressed by using tools to measure it, among them Trigonometry, the shadow of the sun, compass magnet, transparent compass, compass Qibla, protractor, Rubu ‘mujayyab, string or thread, stick istiwa’ and waterpas, lot, elbow.

scholarly journals Defining Moults in Migratory Birds: A Sequence-based Approach

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Pyle
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Migratory Birds ◽  
Autumn Migration ◽  
Evolutionary Approach ◽  
Breeding Period ◽  
P System ◽  
Migratory Species ◽  
Cycle System ◽  
Factors Influencing

Two broad nomenclatures have emerged to describe moult strategies in birds, the "life-cycle" system which describes moults relative to present-day breeding and other life-history events and the Humphrey-Parkes (H-P) system which reflects the evolution of moults along ancestral lineages. Using either system, challenges have arisen defining strategies in migratory species with more than one moult per year. When all or part of two moults occur in non-breeding areas they may fail to be recognized as two moults or have been discriminated temporally, whether feathers are replaced in fall, winter, or spring. But in some cases feather replacement can span the non-breeding period, and this has resulted in an inability to identify inserted moults and to compare moult strategies between species. Furthermore, recent analyses on factors influencing the extent of the postjuvenile or preformative moults have either confined this moult to the summer grounds or presumed that it can be suspended and resumed on winter grounds, which has lead to quite divergent results. Evolutionarily, the timing, extent, and location of moults are very plastic whereas the sequence in which feathers are replaced is comparatively fixed. As, such, I propose taking an evolutionary approach to define moults on the basis of feather-replacement sequences as opposed to timing or location of replacement, including strategies in which moults can overlap temporally. I provide examples illustrating the functionality of a sequence-based definition in three migratory North American passerines that can undergo feather replacement twice in non breeding areas, and I demonstrate how this system can effectively apply to moults in many other passerine and non-passerine species. I recommend that authors studying the evolutionary drivers of moult strategies in migratory birds adopt a sequence-based approach or carefully consider replacement strategies both prior to and following autumn migration.

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