The macula and fovea located at the optical centre of the retina make primate visual perception unique among mammals. Our current understanding of retina ontogenesis is primarily based on animal models having no macula and no fovea. However, the pigeon retina and the human macula share a number of structural and functional properties that justify introducing this new model system for retina development. Comparative transcriptome analysis of the pigeon and chicken retinas during development reveals that the pigeon's genetic programs underlying cell differentiation are postponed until the end of the period of cell proliferation. The late onset of neurogenesis has a profound effect on the developmental patterning of the pigeon's retina which challenges the current models of retina development. The pigeon's retinal epithelium is inhibitory to cell differentiation and results in the uncoupling of tissue growth and neurogenesis. These developmental features allow the pigeon to build a retina that displays the structural and functional traits typical of primate macula and fovea.