How do birds look at their world? A novel avian visual fixation strategy

Butler, Shannon R.; Templeton, Jennifer J.; Fernández‐Juricic, Esteban

doi:10.1007/s00265-018-2455-0

Cited by 15 publications

(12 citation statements)

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“…Butler et al [44] also found a left eye preference in starlings viewing model predators (hawks), but they used a different method-a number of fixations of the stimulus made with one eye (using different regions of the retina) before switching to view the stimulus with the other eye. The left eye preference measured in this way was not specific to viewing predators since it was also found when the stimulus was simply a patch of grass similar to one on which one of the predators had been presented.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In other words, LRL was as common as LR (see later for eye preference). In biocular alternating fixation bouts (looking first with monocular field of one eye and then turning the head to look with the monocular field of the other eye and so on; see Introduction and [44]), the number of monocular fixations per bout was a mean and standard error of 2.28 ± 0.35 for the jar and 2.66 ± 0.26 for the lizard (not significantly different, 2-tailed t-test, p = 0.40). Nevertheless, when viewing the jar, the birds were more likely to end a fixation bout when using the eye opposite to the one with which they had begun the bout than they were to end the bout viewing with the same eye with which they had started (2-tailed paired t-test, p = 0.001).…”

Section: General Characteristics Of a Looking Eventmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We therefore needed to assess not only single monocular fixations of a stimulus, as in the species tested so far, but also biocular alternating fixations. Biocular alternating fixation refers to swapping from the lateral field of one eye to the lateral field of the other eye, as defined by Butler et al [44], and to be distinguished from binocular fixation that uses the frontal visual field of both eyes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Lateral Asymmetry of Brain and Behaviour in the Zebra Finch, Taeniopygia guttata

2018

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Lateralisation of eye use indicates differential specialisation of the brain hemispheres. We tested eye use by zebra finches to view a model predator, a monitor lizard, and compared this to eye use to view a non-threatening visual stimulus, a jar. We used a modified method of scoring eye preference of zebra finches, since they often alternate fixation of a stimulus with the lateral, monocular visual field of one eye and then the other, known as biocular alternating fixation. We found a significant and consistent preference to view the lizard using the left lateral visual field, and no significant eye preference to view the jar. This finding is consistent with specialisation of the left eye system, and right hemisphere, to attend and respond to predators, as found in two other avian species and also in non-avian vertebrates. Our results were considered together with hemispheric differences in the zebra finch for processing, producing, and learning song, and with evidence of right-eye preference in visual searching and courtship behaviour. We conclude that the zebra finch brain has the same general pattern of asymmetry for visual processing as found in other vertebrates and suggest that, contrary to earlier indications from research on lateralisation of song, this may also be the case for auditory processing.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: General Characteristics Of a Looking Eventmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Lateral Asymmetry of Brain and Behaviour in the Zebra Finch, Taeniopygia guttata

2018

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“…A rather more detailed measure of eye fixation has been conducted by Butler et al [104]. They looked at eye use in starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) and found that the birds made several fixations of an object using one eye and then shifted to do the same with the other eye.…”

Section: Emotion and Eye Use To View A Stimulusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does Functional Lateralization in Birds Have any Implications for Their Welfare?

Rogers

Kaplan

2019

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We know a good deal about brain lateralization in birds and a good deal about animal welfare, but relatively little about whether there is a noteworthy relationship between avian welfare and brain lateralization. In birds, the left hemisphere is specialised to categorise stimuli and to discriminate preferred categories from distracting stimuli (e.g., food from an array of inedible objects), whereas the right hemisphere responds to small differences between stimuli, controls social behaviour, detects predators and controls attack, fear and escape responses. In this paper, we concentrate on visual lateralization and the effect of light exposure of the avian embryo on the development of lateralization, and we consider its role in the welfare of birds after hatching. Findings suggest that light-exposure during incubation has a general positive effect on post-hatching behaviour, likely because it facilitates control of behaviour by the left hemisphere, which can suppress fear and other distress behaviour controlled by the right hemisphere. In this context, particular attention needs to be paid to the influence of corticosterone, a stress hormone, on lateralization. Welfare of animals in captivity, as is well known, has two cornerstones: enrichment and reduction of stress. What is less well-known is the link between the influence of experience on brain lateralization and its consequent positive or negative outcomes on behaviour. We conclude that the welfare of birds may be diminished by failure to expose the developing embryos to light but we also recognise that more research on the association between lateralization and welfare is needed.

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“…If we assume that the projection of the Australian magpie centres of acute vision falls into a similar range, changes in the vertical orientation of the eye will change the projection of the centres of acute vision. However, detailed visual studies are needed to specify gaze direction in this species; various additional approaches could be adopted in the future, including eye-tracking technology (Tyrrell, Butler, Yorzinkski, & Fernández-Juricic, 2014), top-view videos of head movements in conjunction with anatomical estimates of the positioning of the retinal centre of acute vision (Butler, Templeton, & Fernández-Juricic, 2018), and cognitive tests (Suzuki, 2018).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Birds orient their heads appropriately in response to functionally referential alarm calls of heterospecifics

et al. 2018

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How do birds look at their world? A novel avian visual fixation strategy

Cited by 15 publications

References 50 publications

Lateral Asymmetry of Brain and Behaviour in the Zebra Finch, Taeniopygia guttata

Lateral Asymmetry of Brain and Behaviour in the Zebra Finch, Taeniopygia guttata

Does Functional Lateralization in Birds Have any Implications for Their Welfare?

Birds orient their heads appropriately in response to functionally referential alarm calls of heterospecifics

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