A perched Anna’s hummingbird (Calypte anna). (Image courtesy of Benny Goller)
Flying birds rely on movements in the surrounding environment to control their position in space, a new study has found. The authors filmed hummingbirds hovering in front of a projection screen and examined the birds’ response to moving bars and spiral patterns compared to static images.
The researchers found flying birds are sensitive to movements in their visual field and change how they fly in response to those movements.
Original research paper published in PNAS on December 8, 2014.
Names and affiliations of selected authors
