I am an MBiol student studying how the visual fields of two precocial duck species change throughout ontogeny: the northern shoveler (Spatula clypeata) – a dabbling duck using tactile cues to forage – and tufted duck (Aythya fuligula) – a diving duck reliant on vision. Although associations between foraging tasks and binocular field traits have been identified in certain avian families, no previous study has investigated how a species’ visual field may change between hatching and maturity. Using a combination of the ophthalmoscopic reflex technique and behavioural trials, my project aims to determine how, and at which developmental stage, visual field configurations begin to reflect the distinct foraging approaches of the adult birds.
I hope this research will provide an insight into age-specific collision vulnerability in waterfowl, and ultimately contribute to avian conservation efforts in the face of human-induced rapid environmental change.
behaviour, ornithology, physiology
