Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit login

Correct, animals such as homing pigeons primarily rely on sight and landmarks. There are no known animals that exclusively use magnetic fields to navigate.



The Monarch Butterfly uses it when the sun isn't available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarch_butterfly#Migratory_The...

Apparently it "sees" the magnetic fields, but it also relies on the sun. I don't think it's been studied if it can reorient itself at birth if the poles are switched or if it's "hardcoded".



This is a good point, although I submit that the magnetic direction is irrelevant for their purpose.


I wonder how they manage when flying at night. Do those birds that are more capable night-flyers have superior magnetic senses?




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: