There are a few theories why some birds bob their heads when they walk:
Assists with balance
Provides depth perception
Sharpens their vision.
Because of this difference in makeup, chickens pass off most of the responsibility of keeping their field of vision stable to muscles in the head and neck. This leads to the baffling display in the video earlier. If you’ve ever seen a pigeon bob their head while walking, it’s the same sort of principle.
This of course begs the query “Why do chickens Bob their heads?”
Because of their long, thin necks, chickens can easily move their heads independently from their bodies. And because chickens and other birds can’t move their eyes within the eye socket, and have to move their whole head in order to change their field of vision, it appears that their head is “bobbing”. But is it Really Bobbing?
Another frequent question is “Why do Backyard Chickens walk differently from other birds?”.
Birds, and even today’s best backyard chickens, exhibit a modified posture, body shape and walking style. Most of these differences have to do with the fact that the balance of their bodies are different from their ancestors, mainly because birds don’t have long fleshy tails to weigh their backsides down.
Do birds Bob their heads when they walk?
Then, frame-by-frame, they analyzed the movement of the birds’ head, feet, and bodies and confirmed that the head “bob” was an illusion. Of course, plenty of other birds jerk their heads as they walk, notably chickens.
Another frequent question is “What kind of Birds Bob their heads when they walk?”.
Chickens, as well as pigeons, doves, cranes, magpie and quail among other birds, appear to bob their heads when they walk.
Do pigeons Bob their heads when they walk?
In the same study as the treadmill experiment, researchers filmed pigeons in their natural environment. Then, frame-by-frame, they analyzed the movement of the birds’ head, feet, and bodies and confirmed that the head “bob” was an illusion. Of course, plenty of other birds jerk their heads as they walk, notably chickens.
Why do chickens lock their eyes?
The chicken will move its head forward, then lock its head (and therefore its eyes) in place, allowing its vision to stabilize and give the eyes enough time to survey their surroundings for predators, while allowing their body to catch up to their head. And then the movement is repeated.
Why do Bobcats Bob their heads?
The bob is actually an illusion, scientists discovered in an experiment. The birds are simply moving their heads, allowing their vision to stabilize so their bodies can catch up, and then they’re on the move again.