Researchers have discovered that Manx shearwaters experience jet-lag-like navigation errors during long-distance flights across the Atlantic, as their internal clocks struggle to adjust to rapidly changing time zones.
The birds rely on an internal biological clock to use the Sun as a compass. When travelling quickly east or west, their clocks can fall out of sync with local solar time, causing them to misjudge the Sun’s position and temporarily veer off course.
The study analysed 20 years of GPS data from 1,045 birds covering 3,688 foraging trips. Researchers recorded directional deviations of up to 15 degrees.
Scientists say the findings offer new insights into how animals navigate long distances using natural environmental cues without constantly correcting their position.
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Birds get jet lag too, and it can throw them off course, Oxford study finds Akanksha Mishra @Akanksha_mish27 reports #ThePrintFeature https://t.co/5hYizEMEHF
— ThePrintIndia (@ThePrintIndia) October 30, 2026
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