Currently there is only empirical evidence that an animal has the ability to orient and navigate with the help of individual stars , except, of course, Homo sapiens .
Yes, there are animals that can do it through circumpolar patterns , although there is no conclusive evidence.
Seal
If you were expecting a particularly exotic or strange animal, stop waiting for it: the only animal that has been proven that can use an individual star to navigate and orient itself is the common seal .
To verify this, two seals were trained to identify a "guide star" (Sirius) in a projection of the sky as seen in the northern hemisphere, in order to indicate their position by swimming towards the point of the pool’s edge. just below the star. As David Barrie explains in the book The Most Incredible Journeys :
Over time, they managed to perform this feat quite accurately, heading toward a point no more than a degree or two from the azimuth of Sirius. In light of these results, the researchers argued that harbor seals could develop a compass similar to those used by Micronesian and Polynesian pilots.
If this idea is correct, it could help us explain how many marine animals navigate . However, do not be confused by this ability or its appearance, as we already explained: a seal can be as dangerous as a bear, so run away from it. Furthermore, seals are very cruel, even to their loved ones. Just take a look at how a leopard seal kills a penguin.