Research finds Manx shearwaters experience jet lag during flight
A new study reveals that Manx shearwaters suffer from jet lag while flying across time zones, which interferes with their solar-based navigation system.
Research published in the journal Science indicates that Manx shearwaters experience jet lag during their extensive flights across the North Atlantic. This phenomenon is particularly consequential for these seabirds, as it misaligns their internal biological clocks with local time, thereby skewing the solar compass they use for navigation.
Manx shearwaters, which nest on coastal islands around the UK and Ireland, are capable of flying hundreds of kilometers in a single day. This rapid traversal of multiple time zones disrupts their circadian rhythms, creating a condition similar to jet lag in humans. Unlike human jet lag, however, the impairment in birds directly affects their ability to maintain precise flight paths.
Behavioral ecologist Patrick Lewin of the University of Oxford, who led the study, noted that the species' long wings facilitate these massive migratory efforts. The findings highlight the complex relationship between biological timekeeping and the sensory mechanisms required for avian migration.