Ranking the Most Brilliant Birds with Data

It sets its stall out quite honestly at the outset, pointing out that the comparisons even though math based are subjective in what they choose to measure, but one thing to remember when looking at the colouring of animals and plants is typified by this point:

> … ultimately loses out in our ranking because it is dark enough to mistake for black in the wrong lighting …

The colouring is not for the benefit of our eyes, and will look quite different in theirs. Most birds have four-colour based colour vision rather than the three-colour system that human eyes use (we both also have “black and white” vision provided at the same time by the rods while the cones deal with specific frequencies for picking out colour), the forth registering in the ultraviolet range, so even in the lighting that confuses out eyes the patterning might be quite striking to other birds.

Plants take advantage of this: things that look relatively featureless to us might have patterning so eyes that have those extra receptors, such as petals that when looked at in a way that translates the UV wavelength into something we can perceive have markings that may help to guide birds and insects in to the pollen at their centres.