Seabirds Experience Jet Lag While Crossing Time Zones

A new study published in Science reveals that Manx shearwaters, a species of seabird, experience jet lag when flying across multiple time zones over the North Atlantic. These birds, which navigate by the Sun, develop a measurable compass skew due to their internal body clocks being out of sync with their external environment. According to lead author Patrick Lewin, a behavioral and sensory ecologist at the University of Oxford, Manx shearwaters are medium-sized birds with long wings, closely related to albatross. They nest in burrows on coastal islands around the North Atlantic, with a significant population living in Wales. The study highlights the complex relationship between these birds' internal clocks and their external environment, demonstrating that jet lag is not exclusive to humans. The findings provide valuable insights into the behavioral and sensory ecology of these seabirds, shedding light on their remarkable navigational abilities.