# Can Pigeons see colors?



## rackerman (Jul 29, 2009)

I was wondering, can Pigeons see colors?


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi, yes pigeons see colors. May be corrected, but far as I'm aware they see pretty much what we see. One exception is supposed to be infra-red - least, that's the basis on which we got infra-red bulbs for a heat lamp, so it wouldn't keep them awake.

John


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## StanelyPidge09 (May 22, 2009)

Yes, pigeons and other birds can see color. Thats why many birds will develop bright colorful plumage for the purposes of attracting a mate


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## pattersonk2002 (Jun 1, 2008)

*color*



rackerman said:


> I was wondering, can Pigeons see colors?


 I was wondering the same thing. My thoughts where, why could'nt you use say hunter orange or something bright like that in stead of having to use a dropper (pigeon) to bring your birds down. I would think that if they got used to 2x2 piece of this they could see it much easier then a tiny bird and you where out there moving around they should get the hint? >Kevin


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## sreeshs (Aug 16, 2009)

Birds are said to see in colors + the ultra violet, so it could apply to pigeons also. The number of rods and cones in a bird's eye are much more than that of humans, that means better vision in day and night. Also there something called "oil dropplet" which provides better filtering and hence better recognition of color variances when compared to humans.

This web link provides a reading http://users.mis.net/~pthrush/lighting/cvb.html


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## anandcholli (Feb 8, 2010)

Today in Bangalore, India we celebrated holi festival. It's a festival of colors(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holi). hmmm!!! my face was fully covered with multiple colors. believe me, Benjiro (an Indian fantail) refused to recognize me. She flied away and sat on nabour's terrace for at least an hour. I took my bath and hold Paloma in my hand and called Benjiro. It took another fifteen minutes for her to come back to her box. Hmm Can really pigeons see colors still not sure.


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## rackerman (Jul 29, 2009)

How can we say, they can see colors, DID ONE TELL YOU..... LOLsorry, not trying to be a smart A**.


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## g0ldenb0y55 (Dec 23, 2008)

sreeshs said:


> Birds are said to see in colors + the ultra violet, so it could apply to pigeons also. The number of rods and cones in a bird's eye are much more than that of humans, that means better vision in day and night. Also there something called "oil dropplet" which provides better filtering and hence better recognition of color variances when compared to humans.
> 
> This web link provides a reading http://users.mis.net/~pthrush/lighting/cvb.html


I agree with the better day vision but I question the night vision because my birds seem completely blind in the dark. I can pick them up from one spot and put them in another and they don't move an inch....


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## rackerman (Jul 29, 2009)

I also think their night vision is bad.


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## george simon (Feb 28, 2006)

*They can see color much better then man,I have known guys that painted orange circles on the roof of their racing loft so the birds can see it from far off. The US COAST GUARD used pigeons in a test program to rescue people that were ship wreacked.The birds were trained to pick people that were waring life jackets that were colored with the color INTERNATIONAL ORANGE, the birds proved better at it then the humans that were flying the helocopters.The program was ended when congress cut the funds for the test program. There have been threads about this rescue program posted from time to time. The mobile lofts used by the USArmy had different circles or triangles painted on them.These combat molbile loft moved with the front line troops so the birds had to be trained to find there home loft after it was moved and that could be 20 or more miles so these things were painted in different colors on the loft roofs. *GEORGE


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## rackerman (Jul 29, 2009)

Thanks George, good reading and nice to hear form you!! I always like hearing from you!!


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## g0ldenb0y55 (Dec 23, 2008)

George is one of those veteran flyers with a wealth of knowledge!

When will i get a pair of ASR's from you George...  j/k


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## Birdman79 (Aug 9, 2007)

george simon said:


> *They can see color much better then man,I have known guys that painted orange circles on the roof of their racing loft so the birds can see it from far off. The US COASE GUARD used pigeons in a test program to rescue people that were ship wreacked.The birds were trained to pick people that were waring life jackets that were colored with the color INTERNATIONAL ORANGE, the birds proved better at it then the humans that were flying the helocopters.The program was ended when congress cut the funds for the test program. There have been threads about this rescue program posted from time to time. The mobile lofts used by the USArmy had different circles or triangles painted on them.These combat molbile loft moved with the front line troops so the birds had to be trained to find there home loft after it was moved and that could be 20 or more miles so these things were painted in different colors on the loft roofs. *GEORGE


+1

I've also seen a segment on tv about a scientific experiment on pigeons,in which it had to peck on a certain color dot,in order for the food to be released or something like that.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Yep, color and UV. The UV is how birds can tell each other apart and become more attracted to one than another. Like to us, two male cardinals look the same. But in UV, one may be more attractive.

And of course they can't see perfectly in the dark. The only animals that can see enough to get around, are those with very big pupils. But even they can't see in complete darkness.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

pattersonk2002 said:


> I was wondering the same thing. My thoughts where, why could'nt you use say hunter orange or something bright like that in stead of having to use a dropper (pigeon) to bring your birds down. I would think that if they got used to 2x2 piece of this they could see it much easier then a tiny bird and you where out there moving around they should get the hint? >Kevin


It isn't that the birds are trained to trap when they see a dropper. It's the fact that seeing a bird on the roof not getting attacked by a hawk, lets them know it's safe to come down. That hesitation after seeing several hawks on the way home can really tack some time on the clock.


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## g0ldenb0y55 (Dec 23, 2008)

MaryOfExeter said:


> It isn't that the birds are trained to trap when they see a dropper. It's the fact that seeing a bird on the roof not getting attacked by a hawk, lets them know it's safe to come down. That hesitation after seeing several hawks on the way home can really tack some time on the clock.


You are one smart cookie!...


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## Birdman79 (Aug 9, 2007)

Actually competition tipplers are trained to land when you let your droppers out.In early training droppers are released hungry,and some food is tossed out to let the droppers eat,so when the yb see that they know that it's time to land,thus food time.

Another reason they're white or mainly white is that they're better seen at night than different colors.


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## g0ldenb0y55 (Dec 23, 2008)

Birdman79 said:


> Actually competition tipplers are trained to land when you let your droppers out.In early training droppers are released hungry,and some food is tossed out to let the droppers eat,so when the yb see that they know that it's time to land,thus food time.
> 
> Another reason they're white or mainly white is that they're better seen at night than different colors.


Great addition Birdman!, but I had to give Becky credit for her insight on the hawk thing....


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## Birdman79 (Aug 9, 2007)

g0ldenb0y55 said:


> Great addition Birdman!, but I had to give Becky credit for her insight on the hawk thing....


Agreed .


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## Birdman79 (Aug 9, 2007)

Also there are a lot of flyers in my area,and if we see strange birds flying,droppers are coming out to try to lure the bird to come down.


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## g0ldenb0y55 (Dec 23, 2008)

Birdman79 said:


> Also there are a lot of flyers in my area,and if we see strange birds flying,droppers are coming out to try to lure the bird to come down.


That's what we did when I was growing up in the Philippines! 

Here not so much. Racing homers here are to darn smart.


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## Birdman79 (Aug 9, 2007)

Yeah we don't bother with the racers too slick.There's a guy that races his birds good 1/8 of a mile from us.He's got a nice 20+ bird team that routes and they'll usually fly towards who's ever's flying their birds ,mostly tumblers.

They sometimes loose birds to the racers.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Ah  I didn't know tipplers where trained that way. Mine know to eat when I call them, since the droppers are only used here on race day.


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## g0ldenb0y55 (Dec 23, 2008)

Birdman79 said:


> Yeah we don't bother with the racers too slick.There's a guy that races his birds good 1/8 of a mile from us.He's got a nice 20+ bird team that routes and they'll usually fly towards who's ever's flying their birds ,mostly tumblers.
> 
> They sometimes loose birds to the racers.


Lol, my birds have brought back a roller or 2 before....


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## pattersonk2002 (Jun 1, 2008)

*droppers*



MaryOfExeter said:


> Ah  I didn't know tipplers where trained that way. Mine know to eat when I call them, since the droppers are only used here on race day.


 Yes tipplers, Iranian and serbian high flyers for a few use droppers to bring there birds down and for the very reason you mentioned. I still don't see why you could not use a cloth or have a shirt floresent orange to associate with food and safty. I am going to try this. I am not comfertible with putting a bird in danger as a sitting duck, if one of my birds gets hit on the way down then so be it, I would only feel half as bad then feeding them to a hawk on purpose >Kevin


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Quite a few people do flag their birds down when it's time to eat  Usually an orange or red old shirt or cloth attached to a pole that they wave around.


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## sreeshs (Aug 16, 2009)

MaryOfExeter said:


> Quite a few people do flag their birds down when it's time to eat  Usually an orange or red old shirt or cloth attached to a pole that they wave around.


We used an old blue t-shirt tied to a long pole as the landing signal, I think the pigeons got accustomed to the action of waving the cloth on pole, because they did follow when the color was changed to yellow. Interestingly it was the same pole which was used to wave at the lazy ones to start them flying  (by the way the blue t-shirt was not at all blue when it got changed  it was close to brown with dust)


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