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Zebra finch vision: the science and the numbers

Taeniopygia guttata · order Passeriformes · Birds: all the numbers

The zebra finch has four colour channels, including ultraviolet (370, 430, 503 and 567 nm).[1] The zebra finch stops seeing flicker at 55 Hz, against 60 Hz for people.[29]

See it on your photoBack to How does the zebra finch see?
  • 4colour receptor classesMeasured
  • 55hertz flicker fusion (motion)Measured

The zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) 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: colour, night vision and motion (flicker fusion). 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 zebra finch sees: colour receptors

Zebra finch colour receptor peaks, 300 to 700 nmZebra finch: 4 receptor peaks at 370, 430, 503, 567 nm; you: 3 at 421.5, 532, 558.4 nm. ultraviolet300400500600700
Zebra finch: 370, 430, 503, 567 nmPeople: 421.5, 532, 558.4 nmWavelength in nanometres

What stands out

  • It has 4 colour receptor classes, including ultraviolet; people have 3.
  • It stops seeing flicker at 55 Hz, against 60 Hz for people in this dataset, so fast motion looks about the same.[30][31]
  • 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 zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), catalogue-v1
DialValueEvidenceSourcesPeople
ColourColour receptors
4 receptor classes: 370 nm (UVS), 430 nm (VS/SWS (violet)), 503 nm (MWS (green)), 567 nm (LWS (long))
measured in this species
Measured[1]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][2][3][4]
Ultraviolet
yes: at least one receptor peaks in the ultraviolet		Measured
SharpnessAcuity
6.364 cycles per degree
allometry (Aves): log10(acuity_cpd) = intercept + slope * log10(eye_axial_length_mm); slope 0.9017, intercept 0.1397, R2 0.453, n 99 (fitted in this script; fitted range [4.36, 39.81] mm); eye_axial_length_mm 5.45 mm
Estimated[5][6]Acuity: 63.75 cycles per degree Measured[7][8]
Field of viewBinocular overlap
35°
median of 26 relatives in order Passeriformes: Baeolophus bicolor, Corvus albus, Corvus brachyrhynchos, Corvus corax, Corvus corone, Corvus frugilegus
Group default[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]
Sharp zones (foveas)Number of foveas
1
median of 29 relatives in order Passeriformes: Cardinalis cardinalis, Passerina cyanea, Cyanocitta cristata, Junco hyemalis, Melospiza melodia, Melozone crissalis
Group default[14][15]Number of foveas: 1 Measured[16]
Fovea type: fovea Measured[16]
Fovea type
single central fovea (displaced dorso-temporally from retinal centre)		Group default[14][15]
Night visionActivity pattern
diurnal
mode of 6 rows (of 6 rows): diurnal; not_nocturnal; photopic
Measured (not re-verified)[17][18][19][1][20][21]Activity pattern: diurnal Measured (not re-verified)[17][22][23][1][24][25][20][21]
Pupil shape: vertical Group default[26][27]
Reflective layer (tapetum): no Measured[28]
Rods vs cones: cone-dominated Derived[17][22][23][1][24][25][20][21]
Rods vs cones
cone-dominated
nocturnal -> rod-dominated; crepuscular / cathemeral / mixed -> mixed; diurnal -> cone-dominated
Derived[17][18][19][1][20][21]
Motion (flicker fusion)Flicker fusion frequency
55 Hz
median of 1 bright-light rows (behavioural/whole-eye ERG rows; all rows: [55.0])
Measured[29]Flicker fusion frequency: 60 Hz Measured[30][31]

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. Kirwan
  3. Müller et al. 2009
  4. Thermal Activation and Photoactivation of Visual… 2004
  5. Ausprey 2024
  6. Olsson et al. 2021
  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. Rodrigues et al. 2026
  16. Kopania et al. 2025
  17. Anderson et al. 2017
  18. Light conditions and the evolution of…
  19. Wilman et al. 2014
  20. Schmitz et al. 2011
  21. Moura et al. 2024
  22. Borges et al. 2018
  23. Wilman et al. 2014
  24. Maor et al. 2017
  25. Jones et al. 2009
  26. Banks et al. 2015
  27. Cervino et al. 2021
  28. Guareschi et al. 2025
  29. Lafitte et al. 2022
  30. Healy et al. 2013
  31. Inger et al. 2014

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.