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Song sparrow vision: the science and the numbers

Melospiza melodia · order Passeriformes · Birds: all the numbers

Its sharpest vision resolves 7.07 cycles per degree, against 63.75 for people in this dataset.[6] Its eyes cover about 325° with 40.5° seen by both eyes.[9]

See it on your photoBack to How does the song sparrow see?
  • 7.07cycles per degree (sharpness)Measured
  • 325°field of viewEstimated

The song sparrow (Melospiza melodia) is a bird in the order Passeriformes. Its eyes belong to the vision type UV songbird, parrot and hummingbird: four cone types including a true ultraviolet cone, coloured oil droplets and fast motion vision. Measured in this species: sharpness, field of view, foveas 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 song sparrow sees: colour receptors

Song sparrow colour receptor peaks, 300 to 700 nmSong sparrow: 4 receptor peaks at 367.5, 443, 502.5, 570 nm; you: 3 at 421.5, 532, 558.4 nm. ultraviolet300400500600700
Song sparrow: 367.5, 443, 502.5, 570 nmPeople: 421.5, 532, 558.4 nmWavelength in nanometres

What stands out

  • Its sharpest vision resolves 7.07 cycles per degree: the finest stripe pattern it can tell apart from grey.
  • Its eyes cover about 325° around the head, with 40.5° seen by both eyes at once.
  • 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 song sparrow (Melospiza melodia), catalogue-v1
DialValueEvidenceSourcesPeople
ColourColour receptors
4 receptor classes: 367.5 nm (UVS), 443 nm (SWS (blue)), 502.5 nm (MWS (green)), 570 nm (LWS (long))
receptor set of nearest measured relative Serinus canaria (same order Passeriformes)
Group default[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)[1][3][4][5]
Ultraviolet
yes: at least one receptor peaks in the ultraviolet		Group default
SharpnessAcuity
7.07 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
40.5°
median of 2 rows (eyes-at-rest rows preferred)
Measured[9][10]Binocular overlap: 122.5° Measured[11][12]
Total field of view: 200° Measured (not re-verified)[13]
Blind area behind the head: 160° Derived[13]
Eye placement: frontal Derived[11][12]
Total field of view
325°
rule: total = 360 - blind area
Derived[9]
Blind area behind the head
35°		Measured[9]
Eye placement
lateral
frontal if binocular overlap >= 60 deg, else lateral
Derived[9][10]
Sharp zones (foveas)Number of foveas
1
retinal topography
Measured (not re-verified)[14]Number of foveas: 1 Measured[15]
Fovea type: fovea Measured[15]
Fovea type
single central fovea (displaced dorso-temporally from retinal centre)		Measured (not re-verified)[14]
Night visionActivity pattern
diurnal
mode of 7 rows (of 7 rows): diurnal; not_nocturnal
Measured (not re-verified)[16][17][18][19][20][21][22]Activity pattern: diurnal Measured (not re-verified)[16][23][24][1][25][26][27][22]
Pupil shape: vertical Group default[28][29]
Reflective layer (tapetum): no Measured[30]
Rods vs cones: cone-dominated Derived[16][23][24][1][25][26][27][22]
Rods vs cones
cone-dominated
nocturnal -> rod-dominated; crepuscular / cathemeral / mixed -> mixed; diurnal -> cone-dominated
Derived[16][17][18][19][20][21][22]
Motion (flicker fusion)Flicker fusion frequency
100 Hz
median of 7 relatives in order Passeriformes: Passer domesticus, Taeniopygia guttata, Molothrus ater, Sturnus vulgaris, Cyanistes caeruleus, Ficedula albicollis
Group default[31][32][33][34]Flicker fusion frequency: 60 Hz Measured[32][33]

Other senses

  • magnetoreception: NOT RENDERED (no agreed visual percept) (Group default)

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

Sources

  1. Longcore 2023
  2. VPOD in-vivo (MSP / single-cell) lambda… 2025
  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. Tyrrell et al. 2017
  11. Heesy 2004
  12. Heffner et al. 1992
  13. Campbell & Green 1965
  14. Moore et al. 2017
  15. Kopania et al. 2025
  16. Anderson et al. 2017
  17. Angielczyk et al. 2014
  18. Light conditions and the evolution of…
  19. Choiniere et al. 2021
  20. Wilman et al. 2014
  21. Schmitz et al. 2011
  22. Moura et al. 2024
  23. Borges et al. 2018
  24. Wilman et al. 2014
  25. Maor et al. 2017
  26. Jones et al. 2009
  27. Schmitz et al. 2011
  28. Banks et al. 2015
  29. Cervino et al. 2021
  30. Guareschi et al. 2025
  31. Boström et al. 2016
  32. Healy et al. 2013
  33. Inger et al. 2014
  34. 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.