Eye preference for vigilance during feeding in coot Fulica atra, and geese Anser anser and Anser cygnoides.
Most research in avian brain lateralisation has been done using birds under laboratory conditions rather than natural settings. I studied eye preference during feeding in coot and geese when head position only allows use of one eye for vigilance. Birds regularly interrupt feeding to be vigilant. This behaviour is directed towards detecting predators. Recently, evidence was found that birds might perform some kind of "low-cost" vigilance even during feeding. Because coot and geese often turn their head to either side during feeding, laterality in head turning is expected to follow a consistent pattern in which the eye used for detecting predators should be less often directed towards the obstructive ground. Coot and geese were digitally videotaped and the number of pecks with either side oriented towards the ground at an angle of at least 45 degrees was counted. I found a strong bias in swan geese oriented their left eye towards the ground and thus using the right eye for vigilance during feeding. Coot showed a similar but less pronounced pattern, while in greylag geese no preference could be detected.
Randler
Christoph
C
University of Education, Biology and Didactics, Ludwigsburg, Germany. Randler@ph-ludwigsburg.de
D000818:Animals; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D002755:Choice Behavior; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D005777:Geese; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*