• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Zippy Facts Logo

Zippy Facts

Interesting Random Facts

  • Animals
  • Culture
  • Firsts
  • Food
  • Geography
  • Health
  • History
  • Inventions
  • Language
  • Mythology
  • Odds
  • People
  • Religion
  • Science
  • Space
  • Universe
  • World
You are here: Home / Science / How Do Birds Protect Their Eyes When They Fly In the Rain and What Is a Nictitating Membrane?

How Do Birds Protect Their Eyes When They Fly In the Rain and What Is a Nictitating Membrane?

May 27, 2020 by Karen Hill

Birds have a sort of thin extra eyelid called a nictitating membrane that protects their eyes and may do so in the rain.

The membrane is not entirely transparent, so the birds may not see clearly, but they can probably see light and dark.

As in cats, dogs and other animals, this membrane can flick over the eye very quickly to protect it.

It guards against collisions when birds are crashing through brush, and in birds of prey like the peregrine falcon, it closes immediately before impact with victims, covering the eyes as the bird grabs its prey.

Related Facts

  • Why Do Geese Fly In a V Formation When They Fly South In the Winter and How Is It More Efficient?
  • Which is the fastest bird in the world?
  • Where does Chlamydia psittaci come from and How do birds spread Avian chlamydiosis?
  • How Do Birds Sleep Without Falling Out of Trees and Do Birds Sleep Laying Down or Standing Up On Perches?
  • Why do Owls Have Such Big Eyes and How Do They Protect Them During the Day?
  • How Does Sugar Preserve Fruits and Berries When Making Jams and Preserves?

Filed Under: Science

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Previous Post: « What Is the Longest Living Bird Species In the World and How Long Do Birds Live For?
Next Post: Why Do Birds Reuse Their Nests Every Year and Do Baby Birds Reuse Their Parent’s Nests? »

Footer

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • GitHub
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Medium
  • Pinterest
  • StumbleUpon
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Categories

Accomplishments Animals Culture Firsts Food Geography Health History Inventions Language Mythology Odds People Religion Science Space Universe World Your Body

About

Zippy Facts empowers the world by serving educational content that is accessible to everyone.

A tribute to growing up, zippyfacts.com showcases interesting and unusual facts about the world.

Our mission is to use technology to facilitate knowledge transfer and sharing.

Copyright © 2020 Zippy Facts

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy