Head-mounted sensors reveal visual attention of free-flying homing pigeons

Author:

Kano Fumihiro12ORCID,Walker James2,Sasaki Takao2,Biro Dora2

Affiliation:

1. Kumamoto Sanctuary, Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Uki, Kumamoto, Japan

2. Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK

Abstract

ABSTRACT Gaze behavior offers valuable insights into attention and cognition. However, technological limitations have prevented the examination of animals' gaze behavior in natural, information-rich contexts; for example, during navigation through complex environments. Therefore, we developed a lightweight custom-made logger equipped with an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and GPS to simultaneously track the head movements and flight trajectories of free-flying homing pigeons. Pigeons have a limited range of eye movement, and their eye moves in coordination with their head in a saccadic manner (similar to primate eye saccades). This allows head movement to act as a proxy for visual scanning behavior. Our IMU sensor recorded the 3D movement of the birds' heads in high resolution, allowing us to reliably detect distinct saccade signals. The birds moved their head far more than necessary for maneuvering flight, suggesting that they actively scanned the environment. This movement was predominantly horizontal (yaw) and sideways (roll), allowing them to scan the environment with their lateral visual field. They decreased their head movement when they flew solo over prominent landmarks (major roads and a railway line) and also when they flew in pairs (especially when flying side by side, with the partner maintained in their lateral visual field). Thus, a decrease in head movement indicates a change in birds' focus of attention. We conclude that pigeons use their head gaze in a task-related manner and that tracking flying birds' head movement is a promising method for examining their visual attention during natural tasks.

Funder

Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology

Royal Society

Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

Publisher

The Company of Biologists

Subject

Insect Science,Molecular Biology,Animal Science and Zoology,Aquatic Science,Physiology,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

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