TLDR
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Lund University 10-year study finds red-necked nightjars synchronize feeding, migration, and breeding entirely to the 29-day lunar cycle.
Key Takeaways
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Study tracked red-necked nightjars in Doñana National Park using multi-sensor data loggers measuring flight activity and body temperature year-round.
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On dark nights, nightjars enter torpor-like states, lowering body temperature to conserve energy; full moon restores foraging and fat accumulation.
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Spring migration from Africa initiates roughly two weeks after the full moon, gated by energy balance not calendar date.
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Eggs are timed so chicks hatch at peak lunar-lit insect availability, maximizing early survival.
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Researchers flag artificial light pollution as a direct threat, potentially disrupting the entire annual cycle for species already near energy limits.
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