Science, Technology, and Business Practice Test

Navigational cues from the night sky rely on a star compass, where birds learn the pattern of stars and use the apparent rotation around the north celestial pole as a directional reference. Indigo buntings are a classic example: during adolescence they practice nocturnal migrations and imprint on the star patterns. Experiments show that when the star field is rotated, these birds adjust their assumed direction accordingly, indicating they rely on the center of rotation near Polaris to guide their route. This celestial cue helps them orient for long migrations. Other birds aren’t known for using this star-based center-of-rotation cue as their primary navigation method; they rely more on vision, the sun, landmarks, or magnetic cues.