Expert: Ed Saugstad - 7/25/2005

Question
Hunter animals(like owls)have their eyes at the front of their heads.Hunted animals(like rabbits)have theirs at the side of their heads.Why do you think this is?

Answer
Dear Louise - The answer lays in the lifestyle of the animals involved, and what is most important to their survival. Having both eyes at the front of the head provides the animal with binocular vision. This is important when it needs to pinpoint the location of a particular object. In the case of a predator, it needs to know exactly where its prey is located so that it can intercept it. Having eyes on each side of the head gives an animal a much broader field of view without having to move its head. This enables an animal to detect movement over a very wide field of view even while occupied with feeding. As movement may signal danger (such as the approach of a predator), this enables the prey animal to take flight/evasive action before the danger is imminent. See http://www.stoller-eser.com/PDF/Coloring/Eye%20Placement.pdf

Hope this helps,
Saugy