The sense of touch is ubiquitous in vertebrates and relies upon the detection of mechanical
forces in the skin by the tactile end-organs of low-threshold mechanoreceptors. Significant …

Sensory ecology investigates the information that underlies an animal's interactions with its
environment. A sensory ecology approach provides a framework in which to investigate a …

Birds are renowned for their exceptional vision and the way that this enables them to survive
and navigate the world in such a unique way. However, it is now recognised that avian …

Background Nearly one-quarter of all avian species is either threatened or nearly
threatened. Of these, 73 species are currently being rescued from going extinct in wildlife …

Parrots are exceptional among birds for their high levels of exploratory behaviour and
manipulatory abilities. It has been argued that foraging method is the prime determinant of a …

Three families of probe-foraging birds, Scolopacidae (sandpipers and snipes), Apterygidae
(kiwi), and Threskiornithidae (ibises, including spoonbills) have independently evolved long …

The field of comparative biomechanics examines how form, mechanical properties and
environmental interactions shape the function of biological structures. Biomechanics has …

The vertebrate trigeminal nerve is the primary mediator of somatosensory information from
nerve endings across the face, extending nerve branches through bony canals in the face …

Some probe-foraging birds locate their buried prey by detecting mechanical vibrations in the
substrate using a specialized tactile bill-tip organ comprising mechanoreceptors embedded …

The study of the rostral neurovascular system using CT scanning has shed new light on
phylogenetic and palaeobiological reconstructions of many extinct tetrapods. This research …