Eli5 Why do birds have such twitchy movement?

Question

Compared to mammals, birds seem to have this jerky, almost robotic quality to the way they move. I was wondering if there’s any explanation for this

In: 1836

Answer 1

Birds have twitchy movements because they have a special reflex that helps them keep their balance and vision steady while they move. This reflex adjusts the position of their eyes quickly when they move their head or body so they can keep their focus on a target. The twitchy movements also help birds respond to changes in their environment.