replying to: K. J. Lohmann et al. Communications Biology https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-06269-4 (2024) In their matters arising article, Lohmann et al. propose that animals have a higher sensitivity to geomagnetic cues than we assumed in our original article. Based on this they re-assert the feasibility of a magnetic map used by animals to navigate. This second point represents a misunderstanding of our conclusions.