Head Stabilization in the Pigeon: Role of Vision to Correct for Translational and Rotational Disturbances.

ABSTRACT: Stabilization of the head in animals with limited capacity to move their eyes is key to maintain a stable image on the retina. In many birds, including pigeons, a prominent example for the important role of head stabilization is the characteristic head-bobbing behavior observed during walking. Multimodal sensory feedback from the eyes, the vestibular system and proprioceptors in body and neck is required to control head stabilization. Here, we trained unrestrained pigeons (Columba livia) to stand on a perch that was sinusoidally moved with a motion platform along all three translational and three rotational degrees of freedom. We varied the frequency of the perturbation and we recorded the pigeons' responses under both light and dark conditions. Head, body, and platform movements were asse

SUBMITTER: Theunissen LM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5633612 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature