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Common ostrich vision: the science and the numbers

Struthio camelus · order Struthioniformes · Birds: all the numbers

The common ostrich has four colour channels, including violet (405, 444, 505 and 570 nm).[1][2] Its sharpest vision resolves 19.32 cycles per degree, against 63.75 for people in this dataset.[6] Both eyes see the same 20° in front of it.[9]

See it on your photoBack to How does the common ostrich see?
  • 4colour receptor classesMeasured
  • 19.32cycles per degree (sharpness)Measured
  • 20°seen by both eyesMeasured

The common ostrich (Struthio camelus) is a bird in the order Struthioniformes. Its eyes belong to the vision type Panoramic grain-eater and wader: four cone types, low to moderate sharpness and an almost all-round field of view. Measured in this species: colour, sharpness, field of view and night vision. Measured core: measured values on at least 3 of the 6 dials.

This is a simulation built from published eye measurements, not what the animal experiences.

Method: How we know what animals see (the See Like Animals vision engine) · Sources · Last updated . Every value below carries its evidence level and sources; nothing is typed by hand.

What the common ostrich sees: colour receptors

Common ostrich colour receptor peaks, 300 to 700 nmCommon ostrich: 4 receptor peaks at 405, 444, 505, 570 nm; you: 3 at 421.5, 532, 558.4 nm. ultraviolet300400500600700
Common ostrich: 405, 444, 505, 570 nmPeople: 421.5, 532, 558.4 nmWavelength in nanometres

What stands out

  • It has 4 colour receptor classes; people have 3.
  • Its sharpest vision resolves 19.32 cycles per degree: the finest stripe pattern it can tell apart from grey.
  • Both eyes see the same 20° in front of it (binocular overlap), where depth is judged best.
  • Activity pattern: diurnal.

The six dials

Evidence levels: how the tiers work. "Measured" means a value measured in this species; "Estimated" values come from a close relative or an eye-size formula. The last column gives the values for people from the same catalogue.

Vision values for the common ostrich (Struthio camelus), catalogue-v1
DialValueEvidenceSourcesPeople
ColourColour receptors
4 receptor classes: 405 nm (VS/SWS (violet)), 444 nm (SWS (blue)), 505 nm (MWS (green)), 570 nm (LWS (long))
measured in this species
Measured[1][2]Colour receptors: 3 receptor classes: 421.5 nm (VS/SWS (violet)), 532 nm (MWS (green)), 558.4 nm (LWS (long)) Measured (not re-verified)[2][3][4][5]
SharpnessAcuity
19.32 cycles per degree
median of 1 anatomical-ganglion rows (method priority rule)
Measured[6]Acuity: 63.75 cycles per degree Measured[7][8]
Field of viewBinocular overlap
20°
median of 1 rows (eyes-at-rest rows preferred)
Measured[9]Binocular overlap: 122.5° Measured[10][11]
Total field of view: 200° Measured (not re-verified)[12]
Blind area behind the head: 160° Derived[12]
Eye placement: frontal Derived[10][11]
Total field of view
338°
group default: median total field of vision type the "Panoramic grain-eater and wader" type within phylum Chordata in species-v1: Columba livia, Scolopax minor
Group default[13][14]
Blind area behind the head
22°		Group default[13][14]
Eye placement
lateral
frontal if binocular overlap >= 60 deg, else lateral
Derived[9]
Sharp zones (foveas)Number of foveas
1
median of 48 relatives in class Aves: Branta canadensis, Cardinalis cardinalis, Passerina cyanea, Zenaida macroura, Cyanocitta cristata, Junco hyemalis
Group default[15][16][17]Number of foveas: 1 Measured[18]
Fovea type: fovea Measured[18]
Fovea type
single central fovea (displaced dorso-temporally from retinal centre)		Group default[15][16][17]
Night visionActivity pattern
diurnal
mode of 7 rows (of 7 rows): cathemeral; diurnal; not_nocturnal
Measured (not re-verified)[19][20][21][22][2][23][24]Activity pattern: diurnal Measured (not re-verified)[25][26][27][2][28][29][30][24]
Pupil shape: vertical Group default[31][32]
Reflective layer (tapetum): no Measured[33]
Rods vs cones: cone-dominated Derived[25][26][27][2][28][29][30][24]
Rods vs cones
cone-dominated
nocturnal -> rod-dominated; crepuscular / cathemeral / mixed -> mixed; diurnal -> cone-dominated
Derived[19][20][21][22][2][23][24]
Motion (flicker fusion)Flicker fusion frequency
88.5 Hz
median of 17 relatives in class Aves: Bubo virginianus, Melopsittacus undulatus, Passer domesticus, Taeniopygia guttata, Columba livia, Calypte anna
Group default[34][35][36][37][38]Flicker fusion frequency: 60 Hz Measured[36][37]

All birds side by side: Birds: every measurement. Method: how we know what animals see.

Sources

  1. Lind et al. 2014
  2. Longcore 2023
  3. Kirwan
  4. Müller et al. 2009
  5. Thermal Activation and Photoactivation of Visual… 2004
  6. Caves et al. 2018
  7. Kirk et al. 2004
  8. Veilleux et al. 2014
  9. Tyrrell et al. 2017
  10. Heesy 2004
  11. Heffner et al. 1992
  12. Campbell & Green 1965
  13. Martin & Young 1983
  14. Martin 1994
  15. Moore et al. 2017
  16. Potier et al. 2017
  17. Rodrigues et al. 2026
  18. Kopania et al. 2025
  19. Angielczyk et al. 2014
  20. Light conditions and the evolution of…
  21. Choiniere et al. 2021
  22. Wilman et al. 2014
  23. Schmitz et al. 2011
  24. Moura et al. 2024
  25. Anderson et al. 2017
  26. Borges et al. 2018
  27. Wilman et al. 2014
  28. Maor et al. 2017
  29. Jones et al. 2009
  30. Schmitz et al. 2011
  31. Banks et al. 2015
  32. Cervino et al. 2021
  33. Guareschi et al. 2025
  34. Boström et al. 2016
  35. Haarlem et al. 2026
  36. Healy et al. 2013
  37. Inger et al. 2014
  38. Lafitte et al. 2022

Every value cites its sources (all sources). Values were extracted from these works and converted (units, medians, derived values); changes are ours, and the listed sources do not endorse this site. Data: catalogue-v1, built 2026-09-29. Accuracy notes: how accurate is this? Method: how we know.