[Birding-Aus] spotlighting and bird's eyes
Ashwin Rudder
i was spotlighting some White-throated Nightjars last October, when i began
to wonder what the bright beams of spotlights actually do to nightbirds, and
just bird in genral, eyes.
when humans look into a bright light for too long, they suffer permanent or
temporary eyesight damage. I was wondering if this is the same for night
birds?
also, is there a difference in damage between different bulbs, eg LED,
Xenon, Krypton, etc?
Which is easier for spotlighting and identification, as well?
Thanks in advance,
Ashwin
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Steve
can't remember who) reproduced a discussion of this very question by
Professor Jack Pettigrew from University of Queensland who has studied the
physiology of bird vision. If I recall, the bottom line was that birds are
able to withstand the effects of bright light much better than we are, but I
suggest you check the archives and read his enlightened comments for
yourself.
Steve Murray
Michelle Plant
these days... to provide some protection for critters when spotlighting...
does anyone else know the name of the top of their heads??
Andrew Taylor
> I cannot think of the name of the filters,
> but they must be fairly common these days... to provide some
> protection for critters when spotlighting...
Red filters are commonly used on torches/spotlights to reduce disturbance of
mammals and sea turtles. But turtles and many mammals have less visual
sensitivity in the red part of spectrum than we do. But I doubt it will
work for most birds - they have broader visual sensitivity than we do.
Unless you go to a night-scope and infra-red illumination.
Andrew