- By Ridam Sharma
- Fri, 15 Aug 2025 06:02 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Bigger Eye Than Brain: The Animal kingdom is a fascinating phenomenon, with numerous animals, unique characteristics and features. The animal world is home to some amazing creatures with remarkable adaptations, and one such interesting fact revolves around the birds that have larger eyes than brains. However, the question arises, which bird it is and how this unique characteristic is beneficial for its survival. This bird is a true marvel of evolution, as per the International Fund for Animal Welfare report.
Which Animal's Eye Is Bigger Than Its Brain?
The ostrich, the largest bird alive, is also a bird with the largest eye on land, with about 2 inches (5 centimetres) in diameter, which is roughly the size of a billiard ball. The ostrich is one of the most celebrated flightless birds. It is also important to note that its eyes are the largest of any land animal alive and significantly larger than the ostrich's brain.
An Animal's Eye Is Bigger Than Its Brain (Image Credit: Canva)
But are you also wondering why this is the case, why the ostrich has the biggest eyes? Ostriches keep a firm watch on extensive grasslands and savannahs where early detection of predators is crucial to survival. Their huge eyes grant outstanding long-distance sight, which enables them to pick up danger in the form of a lion or cheetah from kilometres away. Additionally, that good sight, when paired with the ostrich's height and long neck, gives the best possible vision and helps to closely interrogate its habitat.
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This best vision also has survival advantages for ostriches. For example, an ostrich is known to find the fine detail and respond promptly by running away at speeds of up to 45 miles per hour from a threat. The relative modesty of their brain with the size of the eye may be indicative of evolutionary growth for perceiving and responding swiftly for survival.
Which Animal Has the Largest Eye In Sea?
The colossal squid has the largest eyes in the sea. The colossus squid is one of the sea's most enigmatic monsters, boasting the largest eyes in the animal kingdom, with eyeballs as big as 10-11 inches in diameter. The eyes are bigger than the squid's brain. Having their homes a thousand feet down in the ocean's dark twilight zone, these huge eyes help these marine animals to perceive very weak bioluminescent signals from prey and predators.
An Animal's Eye Is Bigger Than Its Brain (Image Credit: Canva)
The colossal squid has enormous eyes to survive in the nearly complete darkness. These can detect even the tiniest glimmer of light and provide it with a vital edge in a world where vision is at a minimum for most living organisms. This adaptation to light helps to offset, at least in part, the relatively small brain, directing innate survival instead of sophisticated thinking.
Other Notable Animals With Bigger Eyes Than Brains:
Surprisingly, Tarsiers, tiny primates, also possess eyes almost as big as their brains, which help them hunt at night.
An Animal's Eye Is Bigger Than Its Brain (Image Credit: Canva)