This way the signal never reaches the auditory cortex or the thalamus as the transmission never leaves the hindbrain in order to save the time and directly to protect the most crucial organs in case of imminent risk. The two side effects of this reflex reaction are that 1) the bird cannot habituate to a signal that is not processed in the auditory cortex, 2) the bird does not release stress hormone into the blood as the signal never reaches the thalamus.