Data from A songbird inhibits blinking behaviour in flight

Visual attention plays a fundamental role in avian flight but attention is likely limited whenever birds blink. Because blinks are necessary to maintaining proper vision, this study tested the hypothesis that birds strategically inhibit their blinks in flight. The blinks of captive great-tailed grackles (<i>Quiscalus mexicanus</i>) were recorded before, during and after they flew a short distance in an open environment. The grackles spent the least amount of time blinking in flight (take-off, during flight and landing) and the most amount of time blinking at impact. Their blinking behaviour was similar before and after flight. These results suggest that grackles strategically inhibit their blinking behaviour in flight, potentially because blinks impose costs to avian flight.

视觉注意力在鸟类飞行中发挥着基础性作用，但鸟类眨眼时其注意力大概率会受到限制。鉴于眨眼对维持正常视觉功能必不可少，本研究检验了“鸟类会在飞行过程中策略性抑制眨眼行为”这一假说。研究人员在开放环境中记录了圈养大尾拟八哥（<i>Quiscalus mexicanus</i>）在短距离飞行前、飞行期间及飞行后的眨眼行为。结果显示，大尾拟八哥在飞行阶段（起飞、飞行途中与着陆阶段）的眨眼时长最短，而在触地撞击瞬间的眨眼时长最长；其飞行前后的眨眼行为模式基本一致。上述结果表明，大尾拟八哥确实会在飞行中策略性抑制眨眼行为，这可能是因为眨眼会对鸟类飞行造成不利影响。