Perception and Motor Control in Birds: An Ecological Approach

374 Pages·1994·8.065 MB·English

by  Dr. Mark N. O. Davies, Dr. Patrick R. Green (auth.), Dr. Mark N. O. Davies, Dr. Patrick R. Green (eds.)

M.N.O. Davies P.R. Green
(Eds.)
Perception and
Motor Control
in Birds
An Ecological Approach
With 129 Figures and 3 Tables
Springer-Verlag
Berlin Heidelberg New York
London Paris Tokyo
Hong Kong Barcelona
Budapest
Dr. MARK N.O. DAVIES
University College London
Department of Psychology
Gower St
London, WClE 6BT
UK
Dr. PATRICK R. GREEN
University of Nottingham
Department of Psychology
Nottingham NG72RD
UK
ISBN-13:978-3-642-75871-3 e-ISBN-13:978-3-642-75869-0
DOl: 10.1007/978-3-642-75869-0
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data. Davies, Mark N.O., 1960- Perception
and motor control in birds: an ecological approach / Mark N.O. Davies, Patrick R.
Green. p. em. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-13:978-3-642-75871-3
1. Birds - Sense organs. 2. Birds - Behavior. 3. Perceptual-motor processes. I. Green, Patrick
R. II. Title. QL698.D22 1994 598.2'18 - dc20 93-33022
This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material
is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation,
broadcasting, reproduction on microfilm or in any other way, and storage in data banks.
Duplication of this publication or parts thereof is permitted only under the provisions of the
German Copyright Law of September 9,1965, in its current version, and permission for use must
always be obtained from Springer-Verlag. Violations are liable for prosecution under the German
Copyright Law.
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1994
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1994
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, etc. in this publication does
not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the
relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.
Typesetting: Macmillan India Ltd., Bangalore -25
31/3145/SPS - 5 4 3 2 1 0 - Printed on acid-free paper
Preface
The scope of the chapters in this book will seem at once broad and
narrow. They encompass topics in both perception and motor
organization, but are restricted to just one group of animals. Our
reason for bringing the areas of perception and motor control
together is to make the case that each should be considered in the
context of the other, rather than separately. Psychologists will
recognize the provenance of this view in Gibsonian or "ecological"
theory, and our subtitle reflects this influence on our selection
of research topics. Many features of "ecological psychology" are
familiar to biologists as principles which should underlie any good
biology - the analysis of structure and function in the context of the
whole animal and its ecological niche - and these principles guide all
the research described in this book.
By restricting the scope of the book to research on birds, we hope
to provide enough points of contact between different areas of
research to convince readers that fruitful interactions between them
are a practical possibility. Such topics as the control of flight
manoeuvres or pecking provide concrete examples of how problems
in perception and motor organization can be treated together.
The chapters fall into three sections, and each begins with a short
introduction drawing out some of the links between the chapters it
contains. Section I contains reviews of recent research on a variety of
sensory and perceptual processes in birds, which all involve subtle
analyses of the relationships between species' perceptual mechanisms
and their ecology and behaviour. Chapters in Section II describe
research using a variety of methods - behavioural, neurophysio
logical, anatomical and comparative - but all dealing with the
common problem of understanding how the activities of large
numbers of muscles are co-ordinated to generate adaptive behavi
our. In Section III, chapters are concerned with a range of ap
proaches to analyzing the links between perceptual and motor
processes, through cybernetic modelling, neurophysiological
analysis, or behavioural methods.
We are grateful to Dr Dieter Czeschlik and his colleagues
at Springer-Verlag for their support and advice throughout the
VI Preface
planning and preparation of this book. We would also like to thank
Carlos Martinoya, who was prevented by illness from contributing a
chapter, for his advice on the selection of topics. The compilation
and editing of the chapters was made far easier by using manuscripts
on disc, and we thank Karen Sherlock and Howard Martin for their
help in handling different disc and document formats. We are also
grateful to Charlotte Dewey for handling all our editorial corres
pondence so efficiently.
Nottingham, UK MARK N.O. DAVIES
January 1994 PATRICK R. GREEN
Contents
Introduction to Section I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1 Form and Function in the Optical Structure of Bird Eyes
G.R. Martin (With 9 Figures) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.1 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.2 The Bases of Diversity in Avian Eye Structure . . . . 6
1.3 Quantitative Descriptions of Eye Structures and
Their Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.4 Interpretations of Diversity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.4.1 Shape and Size of Eyes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.4.2 The Optical Design of Eyes . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
1.5 The Role of the Iris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 16
1.5.1 Pupil Size and Image Brightness. . . . . . . . . 16
1.5.2 Pupil Size and Image Quality. . . . . . . . . . . 18
1.5.3 Pupil Size and Depth of Field. . . . . . . . . .. 19
1.6 Visual Fields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 23
1.6.1 Monocular Fields. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 23
1.6.2 Binocular and Panoramic Fields . . . . . . . .. 24
1.6.3 Visual Fields and Amphibious Habits . . . . .. 28
1.7 Concluding Remarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 30
References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 30
2 Functional Accommodation in Birds
F. Schaeffel (With 10 Figures) . . . . 35
2.1 The Power and Precision of Accommodation as a
Distance Cue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 35
2.2 A Technique to Measure Accommodation in
Unrestrained, Alert Birds ................ . 37
2.3 Mechanisms of Accommodation in Terrestrial Birds. 39
2.3.1 Speed of Accommodation ............ . 41
2.3.2 Coupled and Uncoupled Accommodation and
the Convergence of Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
2.4 Visual Guidance of Pecking Behaviour ........ . 43
VIII Contents
2.5 Lower Field Myopia: an Adaptation That
"Keeps the Ground in Focus"? ............ . 45
2.6 The Role of Accommodation in Judging Distances. 48
References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
3 Binocular Depth Perception
S.A. McFadden (With 5 Figures) 54
3.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
3.2 What Exactly is Stereopsis? . . . 56
3.2.1 Retinal Disparity and Stereopsis .. 56
3.2.2 Types of Stereopsis . . . . . . . . . . 57
3.3 Stereopsis in Birds. . . . . . . . . . . . .. 58
3.3.1 Neural Mechanisms for Local Stereopsis
in Birds ................... . 59
33.2 Behavioural Tests of Stereopsis in Birds. 59
3.4 Binocular Vision and the Oculomotor System
in Birds .................... . 62
3.4.1 The Position of the Binocular Field 62
3.4.2 The Visual Trident in Birds . . . 63
3.4.3 Binocular Fixation and Fusion. . . 64
3.4.4 Vergence Eye Movements ..... . 65
3.4.5 Stereoscopic Limits Imposed Through the
Oculomotor System. . . . . . . . . . . . 66
3.5 Role of Binocular Vision in the Guidance of
Avian Behaviour. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
3.5.1 Guidance of the Peck Movement. . . . 68
3.5.2 Dependence of Behaviour on the Frame of
Reference . 69
3.6 Conclusions. 70
References. . . . 70
4 Sound Cues to Distance: The Perception of Range
P.K. McGregor (With 5 Figures) 74
4.1 Introduction . 74
4.2 Why Range? ........... . 74
4.3 Ranging Cues. . . . . . . . . . . . 75
4.4 The Experimental Evidence for Ranging Ability 79
4.5 Mechanisms of Degradation Perception . 84
4.6 Ranging and Honesty. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 87
4.7 Some Developments of Ranging Studies . . . . . 89
4.7.1 Ranging as a Component of Other Signalling
Behaviour ........ . 89
4.7.2 Resolution of Ranging ............. . 90
Contents IX
4.8 Conclusions. 91
References. . 91
5 Av ian Orientation: Multiple Sensory Cues and the
Advantage of Redundancy
R. Wiltschko and W. Wiltschko (With 13 Figures) . 95
5.1 Theoretical Considerations. . . . . . . . . . . . 95
5.2 Compass Mechanisms and Their Interrelation . . .. 97
5.2.1 The Magnetic Compass of Birds . . . . . . . .. 97
5.2.2 The Interrelation Between Magnetic Compass
and Sun Compass. . . . . . . . . . . 99
5.2.3 Directional Orientation at Night. . . . . . . 102
5.2.4 Integrating Directional Orientation . . . . . 104
5.3 Mechanism for Determining the Home Direction. 104
5.3.1 Navigation by Route-Specific Information . 105
5.3.2 Site-Specific Information ~ the Navigational
"Map". . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
5.3.3 Different Strategies Supplement Each Other . 110
5.4 Determining the Migratory Direction. . . . . . . . . 111
5.4.1 Reference Systems for the Migratory Direction. 112
5.4.2 The Interrelation Between Celestial Rotation and
the Magnetic Field During Ontogeny. 113
5.5 Conclusion 115
References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Introduction to Section II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
6 Neuroembryology of Motor Behaviour in Birds
A. Bekoff .............. . 125
6.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
6.2 The Environment Within the Egg. 126
6.3 Embryonic Motor Behaviours ... 126
6.3.1 Type I Embryonic Motility . 127
6.3.2 Type II and Type III Embryonic Motility 128
6.4 Role of Sensory Information During Ongoing
Embryonic Behaviours .............. . 129
6.4.1 What Sensory Information Is Available? . 129
6.4.2 How Is Sensory Information Used? .... 130
6.5 Role of Sensory Input at Transitions in Behaviour. 131
6.6 Role of Prior Sensory Input in Development of
Later Behaviours. 132
6.7 Conclusions. 132
References. . . . . 133
x Contents
7 Pre- and Postnatal Development of Wing-Flapping
and Flight in Birds: Embryological, Comparative and
Evolutionary Perspectives
R.R. Provine (With 7 Figures) . . . . . . 135
7.1 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
7.2 Prenatal Development of Spontaneous
Wing-Flapping. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
7.3 Neural Basis of Embryonic Behaviour. 137
7.4 Effect of Spontaneous Embryonic Behaviour on Muscle
and Joint Development. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
7.5 Naturally Occurring Motor Neuron Death . . . . . 139
7.6 Comparative Development of Wing-Flapping and
Flight: Effects of Domestication. . . . . . . . . . . . 140
7.7 Experimental Studies of the Postnatal Development of
Wing-Flapping and Flight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 144
7.8 Bilateral Wing Coordination: Studies of Induced
Bilateral Asymmetry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
7.9 Development of Wing-Flapping and Flight in
Dystrophic Chickens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
7.10 Wing-Flapping in Flightless Birds: Evolutionary
Insights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
7.11 Centripetal Hypothesis of Neurobehavioural
Evolution . 154
References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
8 Development of Prehensile Feeding in Ring Doves
(Streptopelia risoria): Learning Under Organismic
and Task Constraints
J.D. Deich and P.D. Balsam (With 7 Figures). . 160
8.1 Introduction..................... 160
8.2 Thrusting and Grasping During Feeding in the
Adult. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
8.3 Evidence for Plasticity and Skill in Adult
Columbidae. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
8.4 The Transition from Dependent to Independent
Feeding in the Ring Dove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
8.5 Development of Pecking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
8.5.1 Behavioural Analysis of the Development of
Pecking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
8.6 Behavioural Processes Underlying Development of
Prehensile Feeding. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
8.7 The Viewpoint That Prehensile Feeding Is a
Preorganized Response . 173
8.8 Task Analysis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Contents XI
8.9 Summary 178
References. 179
9 Ingestive Behaviour and the Sensorimotor Control
of the Jaw
H.P. Zeigler, R. Bermejo and R. Bout
(With 11 Figures) ............ . 182
9.1 Introduction............... 182
9.2 Ingestive Behaviour: Descriptive Analysis 183
9.3 Functional Considerations. . . . . . . . . 185
9.4 Kinematic Analysis of Ingestive Jaw Movement
Patterns. . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
9.4.1 Kinematics of Drinking . . . . . . . . . . 186
9.4.2 Kinematics of Eating. . . . . . . . . . . . 187
9.5 Morphology and Myology of the Pigeon Jaw. 190
9.6 Electromyographic Analysis of Ingestive Jaw
Movements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
9.6.1 Jaw Muscle Activity Patterns During Eating.. 191
9.6.2 Jaw Muscle Activity Patterns During Drinking 195
9.7 Response Topography and the Modulation of Jaw
Movement Patterns. 196
9.8 Conclusions. 198
References. . . . . . . 198
10 Motor Organization of the Avian Head-Neck System
G. Zweers, R. Bout and 1. Heidweiller (With 10 Figures) 201
10.1 Introduction........................ 201
10.2 Osteo-Muscular Design of the Avian Cervical Column 202
10.2.1 Osteology. 202
10.2.2 Arthrology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 202
10.2.3 Myology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 203
10.3 Design Modifications of the Avian Cervical Column. 205
10.3.1 Ligamentum Elasticum Cervicale . . . . . . .. 205
10.4 Patterning Head-Neck Movement and Motor Action 206
10.4.1 Postures: Minimal Flexion Model. 206
10.4.2 Motion: Least Motion Model . 207
10.4.3 Major Motion Principles. . . 209
10.4.4 Motor Patterns. . . . . . . . . . 212
10.5 Control of Head-Neck Movements. . 213
10.5.1 Comparator Model of Head-Neck Control. 213
10.5.2 Connections in the Central Nervous System. 214
10.5.3 Network Control. 216
10.6 Conclusions. 218
References. . . . . . . . . 219