As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Friday 7 February 2014

Jackdaws protect their nests 'with bright eyes'


By Ella Davies

Reporter, BBC Nature
Jackdaws' conspicuous bright eyes frighten off their competitors, according to scientists.

Researchers from the University of Cambridge, UK, tested whether the dark birds' striking blue-white eyes help them to protect nest sites.

They found that jackdaws avoided nest boxes when they could see the eyes of a jackdaw inside.

Experts suggest this is the first evidence that bright eyes could act as signals in the bird world.

The results were published in the Royal Society journal Biology Letters.

Jackdaws are members of the corvid family, which includes birds such as crows, ravens and jays, and are known for their intelligence.

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