Falcons pursue prey using visual motion cues: new perspectives from animal-borne cameras
This study reports on experiments on falcons wearing miniature videocameras mounted on their backs or heads while pursuing flying prey. Videos of hunts by a gyrfalcon ( Falco rusticolus ), gyrfalcon ( F. rusticolus )/Saker falcon ( F. cherrug ) hybrids and peregrine falcons ( F. peregrinus ) were an...
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fthighwire:oai:open-archive.highwire.org:jexbio:217/2/225 2023-05-15T16:10:05+02:00 Falcons pursue prey using visual motion cues: new perspectives from animal-borne cameras Kane, Suzanne Amador Zamani, Marjon 2014-01-15 00:00:00.0 text/html http://jeb.biologists.org/cgi/content/short/217/2/225 https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.092403 en eng Company of Biologists http://jeb.biologists.org/cgi/content/short/217/2/225 http://dx.doi.org/10.1242/jeb.092403 Copyright (C) 2014, Company of Biologists RESEARCH ARTICLES TEXT 2014 fthighwire https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.092403 2015-03-01T01:18:49Z This study reports on experiments on falcons wearing miniature videocameras mounted on their backs or heads while pursuing flying prey. Videos of hunts by a gyrfalcon ( Falco rusticolus ), gyrfalcon ( F. rusticolus )/Saker falcon ( F. cherrug ) hybrids and peregrine falcons ( F. peregrinus ) were analyzed to determine apparent prey positions on their visual fields during pursuits. These video data were then interpreted using computer simulations of pursuit steering laws observed in insects and mammals. A comparison of the empirical and modeling data indicates that falcons use cues due to the apparent motion of prey on the falcon's visual field to track and capture flying prey via a form of motion camouflage. The falcons also were found to maintain their prey's image at visual angles consistent with using their shallow fovea. These results should prove relevant for understanding the co-evolution of pursuit and evasion, as well as the development of computer models of predation and the integration of sensory and locomotion systems in biomimetic robots. Text Falco rusticolus gyrfalcon HighWire Press (Stanford University) Journal of Experimental Biology 217 2 225 234 |
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HighWire Press (Stanford University) |
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fthighwire |
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English |
topic |
RESEARCH ARTICLES |
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RESEARCH ARTICLES Kane, Suzanne Amador Zamani, Marjon Falcons pursue prey using visual motion cues: new perspectives from animal-borne cameras |
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RESEARCH ARTICLES |
description |
This study reports on experiments on falcons wearing miniature videocameras mounted on their backs or heads while pursuing flying prey. Videos of hunts by a gyrfalcon ( Falco rusticolus ), gyrfalcon ( F. rusticolus )/Saker falcon ( F. cherrug ) hybrids and peregrine falcons ( F. peregrinus ) were analyzed to determine apparent prey positions on their visual fields during pursuits. These video data were then interpreted using computer simulations of pursuit steering laws observed in insects and mammals. A comparison of the empirical and modeling data indicates that falcons use cues due to the apparent motion of prey on the falcon's visual field to track and capture flying prey via a form of motion camouflage. The falcons also were found to maintain their prey's image at visual angles consistent with using their shallow fovea. These results should prove relevant for understanding the co-evolution of pursuit and evasion, as well as the development of computer models of predation and the integration of sensory and locomotion systems in biomimetic robots. |
format |
Text |
author |
Kane, Suzanne Amador Zamani, Marjon |
author_facet |
Kane, Suzanne Amador Zamani, Marjon |
author_sort |
Kane, Suzanne Amador |
title |
Falcons pursue prey using visual motion cues: new perspectives from animal-borne cameras |
title_short |
Falcons pursue prey using visual motion cues: new perspectives from animal-borne cameras |
title_full |
Falcons pursue prey using visual motion cues: new perspectives from animal-borne cameras |
title_fullStr |
Falcons pursue prey using visual motion cues: new perspectives from animal-borne cameras |
title_full_unstemmed |
Falcons pursue prey using visual motion cues: new perspectives from animal-borne cameras |
title_sort |
falcons pursue prey using visual motion cues: new perspectives from animal-borne cameras |
publisher |
Company of Biologists |
publishDate |
2014 |
url |
http://jeb.biologists.org/cgi/content/short/217/2/225 https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.092403 |
genre |
Falco rusticolus gyrfalcon |
genre_facet |
Falco rusticolus gyrfalcon |
op_relation |
http://jeb.biologists.org/cgi/content/short/217/2/225 http://dx.doi.org/10.1242/jeb.092403 |
op_rights |
Copyright (C) 2014, Company of Biologists |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.092403 |
container_title |
Journal of Experimental Biology |
container_volume |
217 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
225 |
op_container_end_page |
234 |
_version_ |
1765995338632527872 |