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How do animals see the world? Swap eyes and find out.

Very differently from you. Dogs see red as khaki, bees see ultraviolet patterns on flowers and a fly sees your hand in slow motion. Drag the line to swap your eyes for a dog's, then try it on your own photo.

Red tulips under a blue sky, as you see them.Red tulips under a blue sky as a dog sees them (simulation): the red petals move towards the colour of the green stems, while the blue sky stays blue, and fine detail softened.
Try it on your photoPlay today's Guess the Eye

Your photo stays on your phone. Nothing is uploaded.

Made from published eye studies of 162,254 species.

World Animal Day is Sunday 4 October

This year's theme is "See the World Through Their Eyes". That is exactly what we do. Try it on your photo and share the facts.

Celebrate World Animal Day

Pick some eyes

Open them all in the tool
The same tulips as a Human sees them.HumanEyes like yours: three-colour visionThe same tulips as a Dog sees them.Dogsees blues and yellowsThe same tulips as a Harris's hawk sees them.Harris's hawk1.5 times blurrier than youThe same tulips as a Rock pigeon sees them.Rock pigeon4 kinds of colourThe same tulips as a Tawny owl sees them.Tawny owl4 kinds of colourThe same tulips as a Western honey bee sees them.Western honey beesees ultravioletThe same tulips as a Cat sees them.Catsees blues and yellowsThe same tulips as a Portia jumping spider sees them.Portia jumping spider5.3 times blurrier than youThe same tulips as a Peacock mantis shrimp sees them.Peacock mantis shrimp10 kinds of colourThe same tulips as a Brownbanded bamboo shark sees them.Brownbanded bamboo sharksees no colour at allThe same tulips as a Western diamondback rattlesnake sees them.Western diamondback rattlesnakeSnake eyes and heat pitsThe same tulips as a Tyrannosaurus rex sees them.Tyrannosaurus rexDinosaur eyes, rebuilt from fossils

Play

All games, quizzes and toys
  • Guess the EyeFive pictures a day. Whose eyes are these?
  • Higher or lowerSharper or blurrier than the last animal? Keep the streak alive.
  • Which animal am I?Six quick questions about your habits. Meet your eye twin.
  • Colour wheelSpin the rainbow through a dog's, bee's or bird's eyes.
  • Do bulls hate red?Wave the cape through a bull's eyes and see what really sets it off.
  • Rank itDrag five animals into order. Harder than it looks.

Whose eyes are these?

Clue: This animal sees with 2 colour types; you have 3.

Play today's Guess the Eye

Who sees best?

Sharpest eyes

  1. 1Wedge-tailed eagle2.2× you
  2. 2Egyptian vulture2.1× you
  3. 3Indian vulture2.1× you
  4. 4Griffon vulture1.6× you
  5. 5Brown falcon1.1× you
  6. 6Youyou

Fastest eyes

  1. 1Dragonfly (Sympetrum flaveolum)5× you
  2. 2Tsetse fly (Glossina pallidipes)4.7× you
  3. 3Blowfly (Calliphora collini)4× you
  4. 4Western honey bee3.7× you
  5. 5Tsetse fly (Glossina morsitans)3.6× you
  6. 6Youyou

Most colours

  1. 1Keeled witch mantis4.3× you
  2. 2Mantis shrimp4.3× you
  3. 3Pastel odontodactylid mantis shrimp3.7× you
  4. 4Ciliated mantis shrimp3.3× you
  5. 5Common banded mantis shrimp3.3× you
  6. 6Youyou

Which animal has the best eyesight? · Who can see behind them? · What colors can animals see?

Why the dog's tulips turn khaki

You have three colour types in your eyes; a dog has two. The red petals and the green stems land on the same one for a dog, so they look like the same muddy khaki.

The blue sky stays blue, because dogs see blues and yellows well. That is also why a blue ball is easier for a dog to find in the grass than a red one.

Animal face-offs

All face-offs · Dog vision simulator · Cat vision simulator

For classrooms

A 20-minute lesson on light, colour and senses, with no pupil accounts.

Animal vision lesson

Questions

How do animals see the world?

Each animal's eyes are tuned to its life. Some see fewer colours than you, some see more, some see ultraviolet, and some see fast motion in slow motion. A dog sees mostly blues and yellows. Pick an animal and drag the line to compare.

What animal has the best eyesight?

For fine detail, the wedge-tailed eagle tops our list: Sees about 2.2 times more detail than you. For colour, animals with the most colour types win.

Is this how my dog really sees?

It is a simulation made from published eye studies: the colours, sharpness and view come from measurements of dog eyes. It cannot show what your dog feels or thinks.

Is it free?

Yes, for 12 animals, with no sign-up. One payment of €4.99 opens every animal with unlimited HD photos; videos are €2.99 for 10.

Does my photo get uploaded?

No. The simulator runs in your browser, on your phone or computer. Your photo never leaves it. No cookies, no ads.

More to play

The science behind it