12336 Here’s an experiment: While reading this sentence, shake your head back and forth, and then nod up and down. Notice how the words on your screen remain in focus? Congratulations, you just experienced “gaze stabilization.” It's this natural ability that allows us to maintain a clear line of vision even when our bodies are in motion. Although modern humans are largely sedentary, the capability has considerable value (how else would you read your texts while walking?). But for birds, many of which zip through trees and divebomb prey at high speeds, gaze stabilization is indispensable, fascinatingly complex, and, for those watching, even a little amusing at times. When you shook and nodded your head at the start of this article, your eyes naturally stabilized the image in front of you. Birds use this approach, as well; they are capable of making micro adjustments in their eyes. But they do so to a much lesser extent than us. What makes birds the true steadicams...