Tech

Seabirds racing home over the ocean can get jet-lagged

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Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 31/10/2026, 11:58:24 UTC.

Briefings

A new study by Patrick Lewin at the University of Oxford reveals that Manx shearwaters, seabirds flying hundreds of kilometers daily across the North Atlantic, experience jet lag that skews their internal compass. The research, published in Science, indicates that these birds navigate by the Sun and suffer measurable navigational errors when crossing multiple time zones, similar to human jet lag.

Key points

• Manx shearwaters, medium-sized birds related to albatross, experience jet lag when crossing multiple time zones.
• The birds' navigation by the Sun causes measurable compass skewing during long-distance excursions.

Context

Manx shearwaters breed in coastal islands around the North Atlantic, with populations concentrated in the UK, Ireland, and Wales. Their migration patterns involve crossing several time zones, which previously caused human jet lag but is now confirmed to affect these seabirds.

Limitations

The study is a preprint from October 2026 and does not include full results or conclusions. Data on specific compass skewing measurements and long-term impacts remain unverified.

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