Eyes of fake tropical predators

2010/06/15 Aulestiarte Lete, Izaro - Elhuyar Zientziaren Komunikazioa

• Zoologia

Food or raptor? For small birds looking for food in the tropical forest, predators can be seen in the upper image between the leaves, as they appear with similar eyes. But there may also be some kind of herbaceous; to ensure its survival, hundreds of species have developed spots or “patterned” eyes to deceive birds.

Although these “drawings” of caterpillars are not very precise, they usually perform their function. In addition, what the eyes may suggest may be enough to chase the bird away at a distance. According to a recent study, this behavior is an example of the birds' instinct to defend themselves from their predators. The journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has released these conclusions.

In the Guanacast Conservation Zone (Costa Rica), for 30 years, scientists have gathered more than 5,000 tropical forest beldar. In the image above you can see some of the species belonging to this lot.

Photo: Janzen et al.