Meet The European Robin, A Bird That Uses Vision-Based Magnetoreception To Sense The Magnetic Field Of The Earth

Robins have also been known to attack their own reflections

Maryjane

• Published in Animal Stories
• November 27, 2022

The Old World flycatcher family includes the little insectivorous passerine bird known as the European robin, also referred to as the robin or robin redbreast in Great Britain and Ireland. The male and female are comparable in length and have a pale belly, a grey face and top portions, and an orange breast.

It is widespread throughout Europe, extending east to Western Siberia and south to North Africa; it is sedentary in all but the far north of its range. The robin is nocturnal, but it has been observed to hunt insects on moonlit nights or when there is artificial light nearby.

It is well-known among British and Irish gardeners and is drawn to human activities including the digging of soil in order to watch out for newly turned-up food such as earthworms. Because the crimson breast is traditionally associated with Christ's blood, the robin is regarded as a gardener's friend and would never be hurt.

On the other hand, robins were hunted and killed like the majority of small birds in continental Europe, thus they are more wary. The robin's avian magnetic compass is based on vision-based magnetoreception, which means that the light that reaches the bird's eye has an impact on how well the robin can perceive the earth's magnetic field.

The quantum entanglement of electron spins in the cryptochrome in the robin's eyes is the physical basis of the bird's magnetic sense.

More Info: Reddit, Wikipedia

Meet u/My_Bird_Buddy, a Redditor who has this interesting piece of information to share with the TodayILearned subreddit community

The avian magnetic compass of the European Robin has been extensively researched and uses vision-based magnetoreception

In order to look for any food that might have been brought to the surface, robins also approach huge wild animals like wild boars that disturb the ground. In the fall and winter, robins will add berries and fruit to their regular diet of terrestrial invertebrates, including spiders, worms, and insects.

On bird-tables, they will also consume seed combinations and suet. Here are what redditors had to say.

This Redditor defines it

This Redditor is wondering if they piss off their friends

How do these magnetic eyes work?

The light required had to be in a certain spectrum

They see the Earth's magnetic field with their eyes

The speed of an unladen swallow

The Redditor is pointing out the craziest part of this fact

What this Redditor has to guarantee

A tribe in Africa that uses cardinal directions

Their sexually dimorphic expression of iridescence on the males

This Redditor has been attributing their behavior to magic

Robin males are known for their extremely hostile territorial behavior. They have been seen fighting other tiny birds without obvious cause and may viciously attack other males and rivals who intrude on their territories.

Robins have been known to attack their own reflections. Up to 10% of adult robin deaths in some areas are the result of territorial disputes, which occasionally result in fatalities.

Maryjane