Into the Wild: Biological Timing in Natural Environments

Biological timing (including circadian and interval timing) has mainly focused on rigorously con-trolled laboratory experiments. There are relatively few studies looking into interval timing behav-iors in the wild, which could be understandable due to the complexity of the experimental design but are definitely needed in order to comprehend the adaptive value of such behavior. In this opin-ion paper we review some of the literature regarding timing observations under field conditions, including reports from birds and mammals, and propose a call-to-action to think about the need of a more naturalistic interpretation of time production and perception, as well as the advantage of designing more 'natural' settings in the laboratory.