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Night-time neuronal activation of Cluster N in a day- and night-migrating songbird

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Zapka, M., Heyers, D., Liedvogel, M., Jarvis, E. D., & Mouritsen, H. (2010). Night-time neuronal activation of Cluster N in a day- and night-migrating songbird. European Journal of Neuroscience: European Neuroscience Association, 32(4), 619-624. doi:10.1111/j.1460-9568.2010.07311.x.


Cite as: https://hdl.handle.net/11858/00-001M-0000-0028-6636-2
Abstract
Magnetic compass orientation in a night-migratory songbird requires that Cluster N, a cluster of forebrain regions, is functional. Cluster N, which receives input from the eyes via the thalamofugal pathway, shows high neuronal activity in night-migrants performing magnetic compass-guided behaviour at night, whereas no activation is observed during the day, and covering up the birds’ eyes strongly reduces neuronal activation. These findings suggest that Cluster N processes light-dependent magnetic compass information in night-migrating songbirds. The aim of this study was to test if Cluster N is active during daytime migration. We used behavioural molecular mapping based on ZENK activation to investigate if Cluster N is active in the meadow pipit (Anthus pratensis), a day- and night-migratory species. We found that Cluster N of meadow pipits shows high neuronal activity under dim-light at night, but not under full room-light conditions during the day. These data suggest that, in day- and night-migratory meadow pipits, the light-dependent magnetic compass, which requires an active Cluster N, may only be used during night-time, whereas another magnetosensory mechanism and ⁄ or other reference system(s), like the sun or polarized light, may be used as primary orientation cues during the day.