Hidden Colors: How Ultraviolet Photography Reveals a Secret World of Birds
Ultraviolet Bird Photography
Ultraviolet photography reveals that many birds, like Anna's hummingbird, have UV-reflective feathers invisible to humans, creating a hidden dimension of color. This site showcases UV and visible light comparisons, showing how UV reflectance varies among species and may aid in species recognition. The images also demonstrate that white feathers always reflect UV, while black or brown feathers do not, and that some yellow pigments absorb UV while others reflect it.
The iridescent display feathers of Anna's hummingbird reflect red and ultraviolet light, giving them a hidden dimension of color that is not visible to humans.
- Tagbert
I'm a little surprised at how little difference there is.
Yes, some of the colors shift due to the false-color addition of the UV channel but there were no new patterns or highlighted areas.
- nomel
Daytime birds are tetrachromats (as are some reptiles), and have dedicated receptors for UV, so they see each other VERY different than we see them!
- _doctor_love
Very different vibe but reminds me of The Oatmeal's tribute to the mighty Mantis Shrimp.