Homing pigeon navigation relies on superparamagnetic macrophages under overcast conditions
Birds use a variety of navigational strategies, including the geomagnetic field, especially when other cues are not available, such as under overcast or nocturnal conditions. Magnetite particles in the beak, cryptochromes in the eye, cellular ion-channel alterations, and changes in the vestibular system have been proposed to explain magnetoreception, but the exact mechanisms remain debated. Here, we used physical, morphological, functional, and genomic assays to identify the presence of superparamagnetic macrophages in the liver. We found that after macrophage depletion, pigeons flying under overcast conditions lacked their usual orientation capabilities. Orientation was unimpaired in birds without macrophages when the sun was visible, suggesting that this was their primary cue. We propose that in homing pigeons, superparamagnetic macrophages in the liver are required for finding magnetic direction.
Authors
- Daniel Zúñiga (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7198-7242)
- Ulf Wiedwald (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3209-4078)
- Michael Farle (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1864-3261)
- Michael Quetting (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7527-2367)
- Clivia Lisowski (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1659-6315)
- Maximilian Germer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-4423-1327)
- Lars Fester (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-3588-5333)
- Stefanie Küerten (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6119-605X)
- Christian Kurts (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6620-2401)
- Lea Seep
- Kasper Thorup (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0320-0601)
- Lisa Lazarevski
- Jian Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7953-8230)
- Inge Müller (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-1611-9994)
- Martin Wikelski (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9790-7025)
- Jan Hasenauer
- Daniela Klaus
- Wolfgang Fiedler (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1082-4161)
- Dina K. N. Dechmann (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0043-8267)
Institutions
- University of Copenhagen (DK)
- University of Bonn (DE)
- University of Konstanz (DE)
- University Hospital Bonn (DE)
- Peter Doherty Institute (AU)
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior (DE)
- Life & Brain (Germany) (DE)
- University of Duisburg-Essen (DE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Science
- Published
- 2026-05-28
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1126/science.ady2486
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Electromagnetic Fields and Biological Effects
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 15.50
Funders
- Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft