To study blinking, Texas A&M University sensory ecologist Jessica Yorzinski needed a literal bird's eye view, and it took a customised headpiece to monitor when and how much a grackle (above) blinked in flight, The New York Times reported recently.

Human pilots are not exactly like birds, but the parallels are interesting, Dr Yorzinski said.

During risky manoeuvres, grackles may benefit from keeping their eyes open. "I think it's quite remarkable that they're able to adjust their blinking at this fine scale during times when it's so important for them to be aware of the environment around them," Dr Yorzinski said.

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