Why jet lag throws even foraging seabirds off course
Oxford study shows Manx shearwaters lose direction when their body clocks get out of sync
TL;DR
- Seabirds can experience 'jet lag' when their body clocks are out of sync with local time due to eastward travel.
- This disruption affects their sun compass navigation, leading to deviations from their intended course.
- Adult Manx shearwaters can correct their bearings, with minimal impact on their journeys.
- Less experienced birds, particularly first-time foragers, are more susceptible to flying hundreds of miles off course.
- The study analyzed 20 years of GPS tracking data from Manx shearwaters on the UK's west coast.
- The findings suggest a significant reliance on the sun compass for navigation in wild animals, even when inaccuracies occur.