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Photo of the Month - July 2009

Photo of the Month

Robin with nictitating membrane

Your photo could be featured as Nature Canada's Photo of the Month.

1. Tell us your name, where you took the photo, and a brief description or story explaining the photo.

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Hello Nature Canada,

I am sending you two photos of a robin in a bird bath in my backyard in Ottawa. It may be of interest to your readers as one of the photos shows the nictitating membrane in the eye of the bird as it is splashing in the water.

Best wishes,
Caje Rodrigues
Ontario

Caje, you have managed to perfectly capture this familiar summer moment of a bird refreshing itself in a bird bath on a hot summer day. The beads of water on the American Robin's breast and the gleam in its eye speak to the delight of such backyard encounters. Thanks for sharing it with us!

Nictitating membranes are transparent or translucent third eyelids common in birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish. They move horizontally across the eye to protect it from water or other foreign objects, and to spread moisture across the eye.

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