Data from: A global screen for magnetically induced neuronal activity in the pigeon brain

How animals detect the Earth's magnetic field remains a mystery in
sensory biology. Despite extensive behavioral evidence, the neural
circuitry and molecular mechanisms responsible for magnetic sensing remain
elusive. Adopting an unbiased approach, we employ whole-brain activity
mapping, tissue clearing, and light-sheet microscopy to identify neuronal
populations activated by magnetic stimuli in the pigeon (Columba livia).
We demonstrate robust, light-independent neuronal activation in the medial
vestibular nuclei and the caudal mesopallium. Single-cell RNA sequencing
of the semicircular cristae revealed specialized type II hair cells that
express the molecular machinery necessary for the detection of magnetic
stimuli by electromagnetic induction. Our data supports a model whereby
electro-magnetic input from the semicircular canals activates a
vestibular-mesopallial circuit within the pigeon brain.