Even birds get jet lagged, study shows
Researchers have discovered that Manx shearwater birds experience a form of jet lag when navigating long distances across the Atlantic. By analyzing 20 years of GPS tracking data, scientists found that the birds' internal clocks struggle to sync with the sun's position during rapid migrations.
Why it matters
Understanding how migratory species adapt to time zone changes provides insights into biological rhythms and evolutionary navigation strategies.
New research shows that humans are not the only species to get jet lag: Some birds appear to experience it too.
Shots - Health News Planning a long-haul flight? Here's how to outsmart jet lag A study published in the journal Science found that a type of seabird known as the Manx shearwater appears to become slightly disoriented during long flights across the Atlantic Ocean. That disorientation, the authors say, is due to the bird's internal clock falling out of sync with the sun's position in the sky.
Manx shearwaters are a common bird in the British Isles. They look a little like seagulls, but "they're actually very closely related to an albatross," said Patrick Lewin, a behavioral ecologist at the University of Oxford.
Shearwaters mate for life, and when they breed, a couple lays just one egg.
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