Visual search in the pigeon: hunt and peck method.
Pigeons pecked at small forms displayed on an oscilloscope screen under computer control. The birds were required to find a small o amid varying numbers of x forms. A photocell glued to the bird's beak provided a signal to the computer when the beak approached a form, and the computer recorded the time and target of the response. As in some similar studies with human subjects, erros and reaction times increased with number of x forms displayed. The method appears promising for further studies of search and of other processes related to perception and information-processing in birds.
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D010856:Columbidae / Q000502:physiology*; D005556:Form Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors