Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Ultraviolet vision in birds: what is its function?

A T Bennett1, I C Cuthill

  • 1Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, England.

Vision Research
|June 1, 1994
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Correction to 'Underwater caustics disrupt prey detection by a reef fish'.

Proceedings. Biological sciences·2020
Same author

Pattern contrast influences wariness in naïve predators towards aposematic patterns.

Scientific reports·2020
Same author

Underwater caustics disrupt prey detection by a reef fish.

Proceedings. Biological sciences·2020
Same author

Optimizing colour for camouflage and visibility using deep learning: the effects of the environment and the observer's visual system.

Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·2019
Same author

Plumage Reflectance and the Objective Assessment of Avian Sexual Dichromatism.

The American naturalist·2018
Same author

Searching in patches by European starlings, Sturnus vulgaris.

Behavioural processes·2014
Same journal

Editorial for VSI Amblyopia: Advances in Amblyopia Research.

Vision research·2026
Same journal

Computational and mathematical models in vision: Quantitative approaches to understanding visual perception.

Vision research·2026
Same journal

Complex interactions between lightness, chroma, and hue in color ensemble perception.

Vision research·2026
Same journal

Driving with autism spectrum disorder: Exploring the impact of tactile hazard warnings on gaze behavior and hazard responses.

Vision research·2026
Same journal

Early visual processing in adults with ADHD: evidence from contrast sensitivity, spatial integration, and external noise.

Vision research·2026
Same journal

Pupil reflexes generate the peripheral drift illusion due to ON/OFF motion responses.

Vision research·2026
See all related articles

Bird ultraviolet (UV) vision, known since the 1970s, remains functionally mysterious. Research suggests UV vision may aid in bird orientation, foraging, and signaling, with plumage coloration being a key area for further study.

Area of Science:

  • Ornithology
  • Sensory Ecology
  • Vision Science

Background:

  • Ultraviolet (UV) vision was first documented in avian species in the early 1970s.
  • The precise functional role of UV perception in birds remains largely undetermined.
  • Bird visual systems possess unique characteristics, including tetrachromacy and specialized oil droplet filters, enabling UV light detection.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review existing evidence for UV vision in birds.
  • To discuss the biophysical properties of UV light relevant to avian vision.
  • To evaluate the plausibility of major hypotheses concerning the function of UV vision in birds.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and synthesis of current research on avian UV vision.
  • Analysis of hypotheses related to orientation, foraging, and signaling.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Examination of the spectral properties of bird plumage and their potential UV reflectance.

    • Main Results:

    • Evidence supports a role for UV vision in homing pigeon orientation, though this may not be universal across all bird species.
    • The signaling hypothesis is particularly compelling due to the prevalence of UV reflectance in bird plumage.
    • Current assumptions about bird color perception often mirror human vision, potentially overlooking the significance of UV wavelengths.

    Conclusions:

    • UV vision likely plays a multifaceted role in avian life, potentially influencing orientation, foraging, and social signaling.
    • Further investigation into the signaling function is crucial, especially concerning sexual selection, given the UV reflectance of plumage.
    • Understanding avian UV vision requires acknowledging their unique visual system, which differs significantly from human perception.