Does the flicker frequency of fluorescent lighting affect the welfare of captive European starlings?
It is common practice for captive birds to be kept under fluorescent lighting, which typically flickers at either 100 Hz (UK) or 120 Hz (USA). Such lighting was developed for human vision and it is thought that birds may be able to detect higher frequencies of flicker than humans. For humans, 100 Hz fluorescent lighting […]
Rapid Behavioural Adjustments to Unfavourable Light Conditions in European Starlings (Sturnus Vulgaris)
Although it is known that many birds possess ultraviolet (UV)-sensitive vision, most commercially housed poultry species, as well as species held in zoos, laboratories, or bred for show, are maintained under lighting that is deficient in UV wavelengths compared with normal daylight. UV-sensitive vision has been shown to be important in both foraging and mate-choice […]
Short-term physiological and behavioural effects of high- versus low-frequency fluorescent light on captive birds
Experiments using captivebirds involve artificial lighting sources, which are often conventional low-frequency (LF; 100 Hz) fluorescentlight. Many bird species may be able to perceive the flicker emitted by these lights and this may have important consequences for their behaviour, physiology and welfare. We determined whether European starlings, Sturnus vulgaris, react differently to being housed under […]
Studies on UV reflection in feathers of some 1000 bird species: are UV peaks in feathers correlated with violet-sensitive and ultraviolet-sensitive cones?
Nine hundred and sixty-eight bird species, covering all orders, were studied in search of distinctive ultraviolet reflections. All species in the following orders were completely surveyed: Struthioniformes, Tinamiformes, Craciformes, Turniciformes, Galbuliformes, Upupiformes, Coliiformes, Apodiformes and Musophagiformes. The coloured plumage regions in particular exhibited high proportions of UV-reflecting feathers. Bird orders with species which are believed […]