title: The magnetic compass of domestic chickens.
abstract: In a recent paper, we showed that domestic chickens can be trained to search for a social stimulus in specific magnetic directions. Chickens can hardly fly and have only small home ranges, hence their having a functional magnetic compass may seem rather surprising. Yet considering the natural habitat of their ancestors and their lifestyle until recently, the advantages of a magnetic compass become evident.
authors.affiliation: Fachbereich Biowissenschaften der Goethe-Universität Frankfurt; Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Denzau
authors.affiliation: Fachbereich Biowissenschaften der Goethe-Universität Frankfurt; Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nießner
authors.affiliation: Centre for Neuroscience and Animal Behaviour; University of New England; Armidale, NSW Australia.
authors.forename: Lesley J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.affiliation: Fachbereich Biowissenschaften der Goethe-Universität Frankfurt; Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wiltschko
keywords: Domestic chicken; avian magnetic compass; domestication; navigation within home range; non-migrants
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