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What may look like a milky cloudy eye here is in fact the nictitating membrane or sometimes known as the third eyelid. This membrane is transparent and will help to keep the eye moist and protect the eye from wind, dust and potential hazards. As well as birds having a nictitating membrane other animals such as reptiles and some mammals also have them.
Wild Tawny Owl showing its third eyelid (nictitating membrane) as it lands.
Info - Owls can’t move their eyeballs.
That’s because owls don’t have eyeballs at all. Instead, their eyes are shaped like tubes, held rigidly in place by bones called sclerotic rings. (Human eye sockets, which hold spherical eyes, do not have sclerotic rings.)
Because owls can’t roll their eyes around the way we do, they have to move their entire head to get a good look around. They frequently twist their head and “bob and weave” to expand their field of view. Owls can turn their necks about 270° in either direction, and 90° up-and-down, without moving their shoulders!
Although owls can’t move their eyes, many other adaptations help these raptors spot prey.
Like many animals, owls have three eyelids. The upper eyelid closes downward when the owl blinks. The lower eyelid closes up when the owl sleeps.
The third eyelid is called a nictitating membrane. This translucent eyelid moves horizontally across the eye, from the inner corner of the eye to the outer corner. The nictitating membrane is especially useful when an owl is catching prey—the owl can see still see even while keeping its eyes safe from injury (Courtesy Nat Geo).
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The bright colors most likely serve as a warning mechanism. While not toxic, these guys can give off a yucky, sticky white mucus which is irritating to mucous membranes and may serve to ward off predators.
Tomato frogs use an "ambush" strategy to hunt for food, sitting in a particular spot and eating whatever insect walks past.
Two Mourning Doves perched on a branch in the rain yesterday. Their eye rims are a beautiful turquoise hue. This dove either used its nictitating membrane or eyelid briefly in one frame. Anyone know?
(This transparent "third eyelid" rests at the anterior edge of the eyeball and can sweep backward, cleansing and temporarily covering the eye while still allowing a view--albeit milky--of the bird's surroundings.)
Cornell has info about the dove, but I couldn't find anything about that startling (to me) turquoise and whether it is a transparent nictitating membrane (from Latin nictare, to blink) or eyelid or both: www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mourning_Dove
850mm
Birds of prey are fascinating and majestic animals. They can generally be defined as birds that feed on animals that they catch alive. Representatives of these two orders can be found almost everywhere in the world. Although these groups are distantly related, the behavioural and anatomical characteristics they share appear to be mainly the result of parallel evolution.
Tomball, Texas USA
One of the loudest and most colorful birds of eastern back yards and woodlots, the Blue Jay is unmistakable. This one is showing his third eyelid or nictitating membrane. Intelligent and adaptable, it may feed on almost anything, and it is quick to take advantage of bird feeders. Besides their raucous jay! jay! calls, Blue Jays make a variety of musical sounds, and they can do a remarkable imitation of the scream of a Red-shouldered Hawk. Not always conspicuous, they slip furtively through the trees when tending their own nest or going to rob the nest of another bird.
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Most birds and some reptiles have a second eyelid that is called a nictitating membrane. Translucence varies by species, but most have some ability to see through this membrane, as tracking prey and predators is a matter of survival. This membrane protects the eye and moisturizes as well. When it is opened or closed, the movement is rapid and capturing it midway is a matter of luck combined with a shutter burst. The frames on either side of this shot show it fully open and fully closed. Taken at Bombay Hook NWR on 2020 Apr 27 with a Canon R5 RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM + EXTENDER RF1.4x at 420 mm f10 1/1250 sec ISO 2000
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Satanic Grackle. This dude looks evil cuz I caught him with his nictitating membranes down :-)
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As everyone knows, the nictitating membrane is a transparent or translucent third eyelid present in some animals that can be drawn across the eye from the medial canthus to protect and moisten it while maintaining vision (from Wikipedia). Zoom in for a closer look.
3rd eyelid used to protect eyes on a lot of mammals and birds ,reptiles very visible on this bald eagle
The membrane covering the sori is gone and the tiny spores are now ready to leave. (i'm a bit dissapointed - I could not get those tiny spores in focus)
Dryopteris filix-mas, worm fern or male fern. Wurmfarn, Männerfarn, mannetjesvaren
A Zombie Eagle complete with squirting fish guts and nictitating membrane for. Halloween Post’ ( repost)
Starling feeding young, in the shade, in the garden. Both birds have their nictitating membrane over their eyes to protect them, dangerous game this feeding lark.
I am still unable to leave the house, as I am shielding, so garden birds it is.
Does someone can explain why ever time I focus my camera on a flower, a wind (light or not) instantly begins to blow? :))
Crown-of-christ (Euphorbia milii) is a thorny shrub from Madagascar that is very widespread in Brazil, where it is used as an ornamental plant and as protection in hedges. Very widespread in the Brazilian states of Minas Gerais and Bahia, it also receives the names of two-lovers, happily-married or two-friends, due to the fact that its small, red flowers always appear in pairs, at terminal summits. .
It consists of a perennial shrub up to 2 meters high, very branched, with long contorted branches, provided with numerous sharp needle-shaped spines, measuring about 3 centimeters in length.
These plants should be grown in full sun, preferably on fertile soils and with regular watering, but they adapt easily after being established in weak soils with little water.
Its handling must always be carried out with thick gloves and with great care, due both to the presence of the numerous thorns, and because it presents a toxic latex, which can cause irritation in the mucous membranes of the eyes, mouth and skin.
From Wikipedia.
The nictitating membrane is a transparent or translucent third eyelid that is present in some birds of prey and in other animals (mammals, reptiles,....). It can be drawn across the eye to protect and/or to moisten it while maintaining vision.
Tawny Eagle in Game Reserve in Kwazulu Natal, South Africa
aquila rapax
savannearend
aigle ravisseur
Raubadler oder Savannenadler
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Osprey (Pandion Haliaetus). This osprey is very clearly showing the nictitating mebrane. When diving after fish, Ospreys can completely submerge themselves underwater and still be able to fly away with their prey. Most other fish-eating birds of prey can only pluck fish from the surface of the water as they fly by.
When they dive into the water, Osprey close their third eyelid – called a nictitating membrane – which is semi-transparent. It acts like goggles and helps them see clearly beneath the water.
La membrane nictitante est une paupière supplémentaire transparente ou translucide que possèdent certains animaux qui recouvre l'œil afin de le protéger et l'humidifier tout en permettant une certaine visibilité.
Saint-Joachim P.Q.
Publié 3 avril 2022
The membrane provides protection, but it also allows the eye to be moisturized without the bird losing sight. This is extremely helpful for birds of prey flying at high speed, as it prevents their eyes from drying out. The protection aspect is probably more handy for birds that search for food underwater.
A close crop from the other side of the water. Thanks again Steve for letting me use your shoulder as a tripod.
The nictitating membrane is designed to protect and moisturise the eye whilst maintaining vision. You often see this deployed by birds such as Herons & Kingfishers to protect themselves either when fishing or sparring.
Posted as I liked the colour match with the plant in the foreground.
Taken in Suffolk.
I shot this photo yesterday in the late afternoon. The heron was just sitting on a high branch, occasionally preening. This image isn't sharp due to some of the bird's movement, except for the unusually clear nictitating membrane that was probably moving back across the eye at the same rate that the head was shifting forward.
If you look close, you can see that the bird is blinking its nictating membrane!
UC Davis Arboretum, Davis, Ca. March, 2023.
The nictitating membrane (from Latin nictare, to blink) is a transparent or translucent third eyelid present in some animals that can be drawn across the eye from the medial canthus to protect and moisten it while maintaining vision
Here is a closeup image of a king penguin, showing a bit of detail in the plumage, beak and eye. The penguin's nictitating membrane is covering half the eye. The membrane is used to protect the eye while still allowing it to see.
Coopers Hawk showing partial of nictitating membrane covering eye (s) Said membrane acts like safety glasses and is automatically ( reflex) engaged when the eyes are in danger of injury or whenever as in this case.
The nictitating membrane (from Latin nictare, to blink) is a transparent or translucent third eyelid present in some animals that can be drawn across the eye from the medial canthus to protect and moisten it while maintaining vision. Wikipedia
With all the current hype with Game of Thrones, I can't resist to share this picture of a crow. Two hypotheses for the blue-eye: 1) This guy is part of the white walkers. 2) The eye is blue because of the closing of the nictitating membrane (third eyelid) during the capture. I let you decide ;-).
The membrane of the raw egg has medicinal uses as it is anti inflammatory and helps in healing wounds.
This Yellow-crowned Night Heron is enjoying a shrimp. The eyelid which marches across the eye from beak side towards the back of the head rather than up and down is called a nictitating membrane and serves to lubricate the eye.
Clearwater, Florida. 10/28/2018.
. . . When we were out in the field shooting this male Snowy Owl, one of the photographers I was with suggested that this owl's right eye was damaged and partly closed due to an injury.
After looking at it more, I decided it might be the bird's third eyelid, or nictitating membrane. According to National Geographic:
"This translucent eyelid moves horizontally across the eye, from the inner corner of the eye to the outer corner. The nictitating membrane is especially useful when an owl is catching prey—the owl can see still see even while keeping its eyes safe from injury."
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Deployed to provide protection when doing hazardous activities - whilst still allowing a degree of vision.
My Common Tern assistant has graciously volunteered to illustrate an important use of the nictitating membrane. This membrane is like a third eyelid that that engages from front to back. Its purpose is eye protection and moisturizing. In this case, this fish is not going down without a fight. Translucent eyewear, engage! July 2019