Scientists Solve Mystery of Sharp Falcon Eye

A man displays a falcon which was sold for $173,000 during Saudi Falcons Club Auction in King Abdulaziz Festival in Mulham, north of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 13, 2020. (Media Center Saudi Falcons
Club Auction via Reuters)
A man displays a falcon which was sold for $173,000 during Saudi Falcons Club Auction in King Abdulaziz Festival in Mulham, north of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 13, 2020. (Media Center Saudi Falcons Club Auction via Reuters)
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Scientists Solve Mystery of Sharp Falcon Eye

A man displays a falcon which was sold for $173,000 during Saudi Falcons Club Auction in King Abdulaziz Festival in Mulham, north of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 13, 2020. (Media Center Saudi Falcons
Club Auction via Reuters)
A man displays a falcon which was sold for $173,000 during Saudi Falcons Club Auction in King Abdulaziz Festival in Mulham, north of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 13, 2020. (Media Center Saudi Falcons Club Auction via Reuters)

The eye of falcon has always been an example on the sharpness of sight, for its role in helping the bird target its prey. This power confused scientists who speculated that the dark 'eyeliner' feathers of peregrine falcons act as sun shields to improve the birds' hunting ability. This hypothesis has been lately proved in a new scientific study led by researchers from the University of Cape Town (UCT) and the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa.

The distinctive dark stripes directly beneath the peregrine falcon's eyes, called the malar stripe, likely reduce sunlight glare and confer a competitive advantage during high-speed chases. It's an evolutionary trait mimicked by some top athletes who smear dark makeup below their eyes to help them spot fast-moving balls in competitive sports.

In the new study, published in the journal Biology Letters, the scientists determined the role of this eyeliner in improving the sharpness of the falcon's eye. They found these markings have evolved according to the climate; the sunnier the bird's habitat, the larger and darker are the dark 'sun-shade' feathers.

The scientists used photos of peregrine falcons from around the world posted on the web by bird watchers and scored the size of the malar stripe for each bird. They then explored how these malar stripes varied in relation to aspects of the local climate, such as temperature, rainfall, and strength of sunlight. They examined samples from 94 different regions or countries. Results showed that peregrine falcon malar stripes were larger and darker in regions of the world where sunlight is stronger.

"The solar glare hypothesis has become ingrained in popular literature, but has never been tested empirically before. Our results suggest that the function of the malar stripe in peregrines is best explained by this solar glare hypothesis," said senior author Michelle Vrettos in a report posted on the UCT website.

Co-author Arjun Amar said: "The peregrine falcon represents the ideal species to explore this long-standing hypothesis, because it has one of the most widespread distributions of all bird species, being present on every continent except Antarctica. We are grateful to all the photographers around the world that have deposited their photos onto websites. Without their efforts this research would not have been possible."



One Man Gored, 7 Others Bruised in Spain's Bull Running Festival

'Mozos' or runners take part in the second Running of the Bulls during the Sanfermines festival in Pamplona, Spain, 08 July 2025. The San Fermin festival runs until 14 July 2025. EPA/Daniel Fernandez
'Mozos' or runners take part in the second Running of the Bulls during the Sanfermines festival in Pamplona, Spain, 08 July 2025. The San Fermin festival runs until 14 July 2025. EPA/Daniel Fernandez
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One Man Gored, 7 Others Bruised in Spain's Bull Running Festival

'Mozos' or runners take part in the second Running of the Bulls during the Sanfermines festival in Pamplona, Spain, 08 July 2025. The San Fermin festival runs until 14 July 2025. EPA/Daniel Fernandez
'Mozos' or runners take part in the second Running of the Bulls during the Sanfermines festival in Pamplona, Spain, 08 July 2025. The San Fermin festival runs until 14 July 2025. EPA/Daniel Fernandez

A man was gored and seven others lightly injured on Tuesday, the second day of Pamplona's San Fermin festival in which thousands of people line the medieval city's narrow streets for the centuries-old tradition of running with bulls.

The man who was gored, identified only as being older than 25, was injured by a bull horn under his right armpit, a spokesperson for the city emergency services said.

"At this time, he is under observation but is in stable condition," she told reporters.

The seven others suffered bruises and contusions, some in the shoulder or head, Reuters reported.

In the festival's "encierros", or bull runs, fighting bulls are set loose in the streets and then race to reach the bullfight arena. Hundreds of aficionados, many wearing traditional white shirts with red scarves, run with them.

On Tuesday morning, one of the bulls stopped in the middle of his run, and charged the runners for several tense minutes.

The festival, which gained international fame from Ernest Hemingway's 1926 novel "The Sun Also Rises", lasts for one week in early July.

Participants are occasionally gored at the hundreds of such bull-running fiestas in Spain every year. Other injuries are common. At least 16 runners have lost their lives at the Pamplona festival down the years, the last in 2009.

As well as the morning bull runs and afternoon bullfights, the San Fermin festival features round-the-clock singing, dancing and drinking by revelers.
There are also religious events in honor of the saint.