Science· 2026Q1
Rapid longitudinal flights cause time shifts and Sun compass error
- 1citations
- Q1SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
Manx shearwaters exhibit predictable errors in Sun compass orientation due to time shifts experienced during rapid east-west homing flights.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Key points
- Manx shearwaters experience internal time shifts during rapid longitudinal homing flights.
- These time shifts cause predictable errors in Sun compass orientation.
- Sun compass use continues even when birds have access to coast-following cues.
- Rapid longitudinal movement may impact other endogenous clock-dependent processes.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Many animals use the Sun compass to guide their movement, sometimes over thousands of kilometers. Consistent use of the Sun compass relies on the endogenous clock to track the Sun’s arc, yet animals traveling east-west experience time shifts, potentially causing mismatches between their internal clock and local time. Using GPS, we reveal that Manx shearwaters ( Puffinus puffinus ) experience such shifts during homing flights, generating predictable errors in Sun compass orientation. Use of the Sun compass persists even when shearwaters have access to compass-independent cues during coast following. Our findings provide a new avenue for chronobiology research in the wild, suggesting that rapid longitudinal movements may affect other processes governed by the endogenous clock and that conserved chronobiological mechanisms impose substantial constraints on navigation.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Science, 2026 · DOI ↗
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