Lunar cycle determines hunting behavior of nocturnal gulls
Wednesday, March 27, 2013 - 10:50
in Biology & Nature
Zooplankton, small fish and squid spend hardly any time at the surface when there's a full moon. To protect themselves from their natural enemies, they hide deeper down in the water on bright nights, coming up to the surface under cover of darkness when there's a new moon instead. Scientists discovered that this also influences the behavior of swallow-tailed gulls, a unique nocturnal species of gull from the Galapagos Islands.