Pigeons have existed alongside humans for many centuries. Various species of these birds inhabit all continents except Antarctica. However, many people know very little about these birds, for example, not everyone has seen the chicks of this familiar bird, they do not know what kind of vision a pigeon has and what color a pigeon’s eyes are. Today there is a chance to get answers to questions about their vision and eye structure.
Structure of the eye
These birds have excellent sharp vision. It helps birds rise to great heights and perform complex somersaults in the air. Birds with poor eyesight cannot do this.When buying purebred pigeons, in addition to the exterior, they pay attention to the birds’ hearing, vision, and flight abilities. These parameters are also important when making a pair, because the chicks inherit the diseases of their parents and their best qualities. The pigment in the iris determines the color of the bird's eyes.
The large eyes of pigeons are located closer to the beak, on the sides of the head. They are round, set deep and protected by the third eyelid. When a pigeon falls asleep, it closes its eye and protects it from debris and dust. The eyelid is movable, located at the inner corner of the eye, it periodically extends, wetting the eyeball.
The recess in the eyes, in which many light-sensitive cells are located, works on the principle of a spyglass, so pigeons clearly see objects at a distance of more than 3 kilometers.
When buying, the eyes of birds are examined under a bright lamp; the light does not harm the pigeon, its eyes quickly adapt to the brightest sunlight.
They consist of several important elements:
- Their pupil is small and round; exposure to light checks the functioning of the sphincter muscle, which is responsible for the dilation and contraction of the pupil.
- The pupil is located in the so-called adaptation circle; the darker this part of the pigeon’s eye, the better the bird flies.
- Next comes the circle of correlation, it is pink in chicks, darkens with age, the darker the shade, the higher the mental, flight and adaptive abilities.
- The iris can have different shades. From honey or amber to cherry color.Sometimes a bird loses iris pigment, then the eyes become gray or pearly.
A pigeon is capable of perceiving 75 frames per minute, a person - only 24.
How do pigeons see?
The visual acuity of birds is much higher than that of humans; their eyes perceive a greater number of shades, they see in the ultraviolet spectrum. At dusk, a pigeon's vision is worse than in bright light. In their perception, objects move slower than for humans. The viewing angle of pigeon eyes is 360 degrees. If it were not for the slow reaction, due to the specific perception, the bird would not be able to be taken by surprise or caught.
What color are birds' eyes?
Pigeons are born with blue eyes. As you grow older, the color of the iris changes. It is inherited from parents and depends on the amount of pigment in the iris and the condition of the blood vessels of the eye. If the amount of pigment predominates, the pigeon's eyes will be yellow, the pigment and dilated vessels in equal proportions will give an orange tint, a small amount of pigment and dilated capillaries will provide the iris with a red color.
Birds can have eyes of different shades. Thoroughbred individuals with heterochromia are discarded.
Surprisingly, there is no comprehensive information about how pigeons, and other species of birds, as well as animals and insects, see. Scientists continue to make discoveries. And pigeons are a symbol of peace and love, they delight people with the beauty of flight and remain familiar to strangers living nearby.
