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Migrations: Indigo Bunting, Master Stargazer

Migrations: Indigo Bunting, Master Stargazer

Stars act as road signs for bird migration.

BirdNote Daily

September 23, 20251m 45s

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Show Notes

The stars appear to rotate in the sky, raising the question of how birds can use stars to navigate during migration. Ornithologist Stephen Emlen brought Indigo Buntings to a planetarium, tracking their movements as the simulated night sky changed above them. The buntings oriented themselves using star patterns that appear to rotate the least — especially the North Star, Ursa Major and Cassiopeia.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Topics

birdingsciencebirdsmigration