This is bird note.

What does the world look like to a bird?

Well, it depends on where the eyes are on its head.

Pigeons, as well as many other birds,

have their eyeballs located laterally on the sides of the head

rather than in fronts like ours.

This doesn't mean they see two separate images of the world

one through each eye.

The field of vision from each eye overlaps slightly with the other.

So, working together as a pair, they enable the bird to see straight ahead.

Lateral eye placement comes at the expense of depth perception.

These birds lack the keen depth perception that people

and many birds of prey like hawks and owls have with eyes that face fully forward.

But laterally placed eyes have evolved not for hunting, but for self-defense.

They give birds, especially prey species, a much wider view of the world,

perfect for spotting a predator.

A pigeon has a remarkable 340 degree view without moving its head,

including a wide area behind its head.

A tough customer to sneak up on.

For bird note, I'm Michael Stein.

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