Birds Can "Read" Human Gaze
Birds
Can
``
Read
''
Human
Gaze
We all know that people sometimes change their behavior when someone is looking their way.
We
all
know
that
people
sometimes
change
their
behavior
when
someone
is
looking
their
way
.
Now, a new study reported online on April 2nd in Current Biology shows that jackdaws--birds related to crows with eyes that appear similar to human eyes--can do the same.
Now
,
a
new
study
reported
online
on
April
2nd
in
Current
Biology
shows
that
jackdaws
--
birds
related
to
crows
with
eyes
that
appear
similar
to
human
eyes
--
can
do
the
same
.
"Jackdaws seem to recognize the eye's role in visual perception, or at the very least they are extremely sensitive to the way that human eyes are oriented," said Auguste von Bayern, formerly of the University of Cambridge and now at the University of Oxford.
``
Jackdaws
seem
to
recognize
the
eye
's
role
in
visual
perception
,
or
at
the
very
least
they
are
extremely
sensitive
to
the
way
that
human
eyes
are
oriented
,
''
said
Auguste
von
Bayern
,
formerly
of
the
University
of
Cambridge
and
now
at
the
University
of
Oxford
.
When presented with a preferred food, hand-raised jackdaws took significantly longer to get the reward when a person was directing his eyes towards the food than when he was looking away, according to the research team led by Nathan Emery of the University of Cambridge and Queen Mary University of London.
When
presented
with
a
preferred
food
,
hand-raised
jackdaws
took
significantly
longer
to
get
the
reward
when
a
person
was
directing
his
eyes
towards
the
food
than
when
he
was
looking
away
,
according
to
the
research
team
led
by
Nathan
Emery
of
the
University
of
Cambridge
and
Queen
Mary
University
of
London
.
The birds hesitated only when the person was unfamiliar and thus potentially threatening.
The
birds
hesitated
only
when
the
person
was
unfamiliar
and
thus
potentially
threatening
.
In addition, the birds were able to interpret human communicative gestures, such as gaze alternation and pointing, to help them find hidden food, they found.
In
addition
,
the
birds
were
able
to
interpret
human
communicative
gestures
,
such
as
gaze
alternation
and
pointing
,
to
help
them
find
hidden
food
,
they
found
.
The birds were unsuccessful in using unmoving cues, including eye gaze or head orientation.
The
birds
were
unsuccessful
in
using
unmoving
cues
,
including
eye
gaze
or
head
orientation
.
Unlike most birds, jackdaws' eyes have a dark pupil surrounded by a silvery white iris.
Unlike
most
birds
,
jackdaws
'
eyes
have
a
dark
pupil
surrounded
by
a
silvery
white
iris
.
The researchers said they believe jackdaws are probably sensitive to human eyes because, as in humans, eyes are an important means of communication for them.
The
researchers
said
they
believe
jackdaws
are
probably
sensitive
to
human
eyes
because
,
as
in
humans
,
eyes
are
an
important
means
of
communication
for
them
.
The hand-raised birds examined in the study may be even better than wild jackdaws at attending to human gaze and responding to the gestures of the people who have raised them.
The
hand-raised
birds
examined
in
the
study
may
be
even
better
than
wild
jackdaws
at
attending
to
human
gaze
and
responding
to
the
gestures
of
the
people
who
have
raised
them
.
The findings are particularly notable given that most other species investigated so far, including our closest s the chimpanzee and "man's best friend," the dog, are not particularly sensitive to eye orientation and eye gaze, von Bayern said.
The
findings
are
particularly
notable
given
that
most
other
species
investigated
so
far
,
including
our
closest
s
the
chimpanzee
and
``
man
's
best
friend
,
''
the
dog
,
are
not
particularly
sensitive
to
eye
orientation
and
eye
gaze
,
von
Bayern
said
.
Rather, she continued, chimps and dogs seem to rely on other cues such as head or body orientation in determining the looking direction of others.
Rather
,
she
continued
,
chimps
and
dogs
seem
to
rely
on
other
cues
such
as
head
or
body
orientation
in
determining
the
looking
direction
of
others
.
The results suggest that birds may deserve more respect for their mental abilities.
The
results
suggest
that
birds
may
deserve
more
respect
for
their
mental
abilities
.
"We may have understated the psychological world of birds," von Bayern said.
``
We
may
have
understated
the
psychological
world
of
birds
,
''
von
Bayern
said
.
"Jackdaws, among many other birds, form pair ties for life and need to have much in common and work together with their partner, which requires an efficient way of communicating and sensitivity to their partner's viewpoint."
``
Jackdaws
,
among
many
other
birds
,
form
pair
ties
for
life
and
need
to
have
much
in
common
and
work
together
with
their
partner
,
which
requires
an
efficient
way
of
communicating
and
sensitivity
to
their
partner
's
viewpoint
.
''
Birds Can "Read" Human Gaze  We all know that people sometimes change their behavior when someone is looking their way. Now, a new study reported online on April 2nd in Current Biology shows that jackdaws--birds related to crows with eyes that appear similar to human eyes--can do the same.  "Jackdaws seem to recognize the eye's role in visual perception, or at the very least they are extremely sensitive to the way that human eyes are oriented," said Auguste von Bayern, formerly of the University of Cambridge and now at the University of Oxford.  When presented with a preferred food, hand-raised jackdaws took significantly longer to get the reward when a person was directing his eyes towards the food than when he was looking away, according to the research team led by Nathan Emery of the University of Cambridge and Queen Mary University of London. The birds hesitated only when the person was unfamiliar and thus potentially threatening.  In addition, the birds were able to interpret human communicative gestures, such as gaze alternation and pointing, to help them find hidden food, they found. The birds were unsuccessful in using unmoving cues, including eye gaze or head orientation.  Unlike most birds, jackdaws' eyes have a dark pupil surrounded by a silvery white iris. The researchers said they believe jackdaws are probably sensitive to human eyes because, as in humans, eyes are an important means of communication for them. The hand-raised birds examined in the study may be even better than wild jackdaws at attending to human gaze and responding to the gestures of the people who have raised them.  The findings are particularly notable given that most other species investigated so far, including our closest s the chimpanzee and "man's best friend," the dog, are not particularly sensitive to eye orientation and eye gaze, von Bayern said. Rather, she continued, chimps and dogs seem to rely on other cues such as head or body orientation in determining the looking direction of others. The results suggest that birds may deserve more respect for their mental abilities.  "We may have understated the psychological world of birds," von Bayern said. "Jackdaws, among many other birds, form pair ties for life and need to have much in common and work together with their partner, which requires an efficient way of communicating and sensitivity to their partner's viewpoint."