Lumen 22-6 Bird Navigation, or Should We Make a Left Turn Here? Posted – July 25, 2022 Irrelevant tid bit – They knew many things but had no idea why. And strangely this made them more, rather than less, certain they were right. Neal Stephenson “Anathem” I can find the airport, with help, but birds migrate thousands of miles all on their own. During migration, usually to and from breeding and non-breeding sites, birds have to deal with dehydration, rapid metabolism to get energy (convert fat to energy), oxygen supply (RBC and lung size increase), and lack of sleep. All serious issues, but this Lumen focuses on navigation. How do the birds know where to go? Frequently young birds migrate separately from the adults, so no guidance from birds who have made the trip before....