[hailwren]

Am I crazy? This doesn't actually say anything about their guidance system? Just that its "genetic"?

> In a groundbreaking new study published in the journal Science, researchers have found that a combination of genetics and environment determines where migratory birds fly to for the winter.

[xg15]

Yeah, the discovery seems more to me that some kind of genetic/biological guidance system must exist, because otherwise the observations would be hard to explain - but it doesn't tell how that guidance system works (though I'd really like to know now...)

[BetterThanSober]

If it is mainly genetic then a bird raised in captivity should be able to track the route somewhat accurately, that's groundbreaking

[lioeters]

I guess the "guidance system" is not located in any organ or individual bird, but as a kind of accumulated collective knowledge. Perhaps the term was misleading, since it's a metaphor relating to a mechanism in individual airplane, rocket, etc. Anyway, fascinating to learn more about these lovely creatures.

[nomel]

We used to call this "instinct".