The can literlally see magnetic fields?
Robins can see magnetic fields literally: As winter takes hold and robins become more visible in our gardens, most people don’t realise they possess a remarkable superpower, they can sense Earth’s magnetic field using their eyes.
Inside a robin’s retina is a special light-sensitive protein called cryptochrome, which allows them to “see” magnetic fields as faint visual patterns.
This built-in compass helps them navigate with astonishing accuracy during migration and winter movements a skill so advanced that scientists are still trying to fully understand it.
Even more amazing? This magnetic sense only works in daylight, meaning robins navigate using a visual compass that humans can’t perceive at all.
