Daytime Micro-Naps In A Nocturnal Migrant: An EEG Analysis

Main Category: Veterinary
Also Included In: Biology / Biochemistry
Article Date: 05 Nov 2008 - 7:00 PDT

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Despite lost opportunity to sleep at night, nocturnal bird migrants successfully navigate the challenges of migration.

Recent behavioural evidence suggests that some migrant species may compensate for lost night-time sleep during the day. The present study investigates changes in brain activity during daytime micro-naps in migrating Swainson's thrushes, a nocturnal, long-distance migrant.

We demonstrate that daytime micro-naps are accompanied by brain activity resembling nocturnal sleep.

In addition, we provide evidence that episodes of unilateral eye closure during the day are accompanied by hemispheric asymmetries in brain activity suggesting that, while in this state, migrating Swainson's thrushes rest one half of their brain while the other half remains awake.

Royal Society Journal Biology Letters

Biology Letters publishes short, innovative and cutting-edge research articles and opinion pieces accessible to scientists from across the biological sciences. The journal is characterised by stringent peer-review, rapid publication and broad dissemination of succinct high-quality research communications.

Journal Biology Letters

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