Worksheet: Senses and survival

Name:

1. Which animal sees this?

Each picture shows the same red tulips through one animal's eyes. Write the animal under each picture: Harris's hawk, Rock pigeon, Western diamondback rattlesnake.

Picture A: the tulips through a mystery animal's eyes — Picture A

Picture B: the tulips through a mystery animal's eyes — Picture B

Picture C: the tulips through a mystery animal's eyes — Picture C

2. Circle the difference

Left: the tulips as you see them. Right: as the harris's hawk sees them. Circle three things that changed.

The red tulips through the harris's hawk's eyes — Harris's hawk

3. Talk and write

Why might a prey animal be better off seeing all round than seeing very sharply?

Answer key (for the teacher)

1. Picture A: Harris's hawk; Picture B: Western diamondback rattlesnake; Picture C: Rock pigeon.

2. Any three changes the pupils can point to on the two pictures.

3. Spotting danger early, from any direction, can matter more to a hunted animal than seeing fine detail.

Facts to share

Each fact comes from published measurements in our catalogue; the id names the values it uses.

A sign you can read from 10 m, a Harris's hawk has to get to about 6.9 m to see as clearly. (Harris's hawk; fact parabuteo-unicinctus.acu.sign; values Parabuteo unicinctus#acuity.cpd, Homo sapiens#acuity.cpd)
Fast things look about 1.3 times slower to a Harris's hawk. (Harris's hawk; fact parabuteo-unicinctus.cff.slow; values Parabuteo unicinctus#temporal.cff, Homo sapiens#temporal.cff)
Without turning its head, a Harris's hawk sees about three quarters of the way around; you see about half. (Harris's hawk; fact parabuteo-unicinctus.fld.frac; values Parabuteo unicinctus#field.total, Homo sapiens#field.total)
A rock pigeon sees with 4 colour types; you have 3. (Rock pigeon; fact columba-livia.col.count; values Columba livia#colour.n, Homo sapiens#colour.n)
A sign you can read from 10 m, a rock pigeon has to get to about 2.2 m to see as clearly. (Rock pigeon; fact columba-livia.acu.sign; values Columba livia#acuity.cpd, Homo sapiens#acuity.cpd)
Fast things look about 1.5 times slower to a rock pigeon. (Rock pigeon; fact columba-livia.cff.slow; values Columba livia#temporal.cff, Homo sapiens#temporal.cff)
The western diamondback rattlesnake keeps no fixed hours: it is up by day and by night. (Western diamondback rattlesnake; fact crotalus-atrox.ngt.both; values Crotalus atrox#night.activity)

A simulation built from published eye measurements, not what the animal experiences. seelikeanimals.com/classroom/lessons/senses-and-survival/