How frigate birds manage to sleep while soaring thousands of kilometers
In short: The frigate bird is a master of endurance, capable of sleeping while in mid-flight. This video explains the neurological tricks these birds use to remain airborne for vast distances without succumbing to exhaustion.
Researchers used EEG studies to reveal that frigate birds utilize a specialized state called uni-hemispheric slow-wave sleep. Simultaneous navigation and flight are achieved by allowing one cerebral hemisphere to slumber whilst the remaining side stays active. This allows them to spend less than 3% of their flight time actually sleeping.
The video also contrasts these strategies with other species, such as the Alpine Swift, which can fly continuously for 200 days, and the garden warbler, which employs different pit-stop sleeping strategies. Understanding these variations in REM and NREM sleep helps illustrate the diverse evolutionary solutions for avian migration.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Frigate Birds Sleep Less Than 3% During Flight—Here's Why
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/science-frigate-birds-sleep-less-than-3-during-flight-here-s-why.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Science · Latest · A–Z · All topics
