Pigeons Keep Eyes Fixed in Flight as Pupils Widen Nearly 70%

2 articles · Updated · The Economic Times · Jun 19

Nine pigeons fitted with miniature eye-tracking gear showed almost no eye movement while flying, overturning the assumption that birds scan actively in the air.
Nearly 70% pupil enlargement accompanied flight, a shift researchers say could let in more light and help process fast-changing visual input.
Three birds completed roughly 100-meter outdoor homing flights and six flew a 22-meter indoor corridor, giving researchers real-time data from both pupils.
The stable gaze appears aligned with the pigeons' inner-ear balance axes, suggesting vision and balance are tightly coordinated to maintain orientation and control in flight.