When reviewing the results from a recent photoshoot, I found a creepy shot of Carson with her eyes glazed an opaque white. Rather than be alarmed, I was excited to catch this rare glimpse at a fascinating part of raptor biology.
Birds have upper and lower eyelids just like us. The white membrane visible in the photo is Carson's third eyelid, called the nictitating membrane. This eyelid hinges from the front corner of the eye and sweeps quickly backward over the eye. Though it appears white in the photo, the membrane is mostly transparent and it helps keep the eyes moist and clean while protecting them from wind and dust. It's almost like she has a built-in pair of goggles!
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