Study Investigates How Pigeons Use Magnetic Fields for Navigation

Researchers have found that homing pigeons navigate using Earth's magnetic fields, particularly in low-visibility conditions. A study published in the journal Science indicates that iron-rich immune cells in the pigeons' livers may play a role in detecting magnetic fields and relaying this information to the brain. The study discusses three main hypotheses regarding how birds sense the geomagnetic field: through magnetic particles in the beak, via cellular ion channels sensitive to voltage, and through retinal pigments that detect photons. However, none of these theories fully explain the mechanism of magnetoreception in animals. Co-author Clivia Lisowski from the University of Bonn noted that previous research suggested the liver and spleen have magnetic properties due to their iron content, but the connection to magnetoreception was unclear.