blue camoflage?

[Dan Day]

On Tue, 23 Dec 1997 15:19:47 GMT, bureau42 Anonymous Remailer
<Use-Author-Address-Header@[127.1]> wrote:
>I saw an interesting story on TV the other day. It seems that a hunters supply
>store was offering camoflage in shades of pastel blue. Most animals have no color
>perception so to them, that camoflage blends into the background for them, but is
>highly visable to hunters and reduces hunting accidents. It was interesting that
>even thogh fully explained, hunters preferred the traditional camoflage colors of
>brown and green. I think I know why, but would like to see an explanation here.

Personally, I wouldn't trust the "animals can't see color" claim. Every time
I've heard that stated for animal X, later studies show that they really
*can* see color after all (e.g. cats).

For that matter, birds have color perception that is *better* than
ours. We perceive three "color axes", which is why three primary
colors (typically Red, Green, and Blue) are all we need to make
"full color" monitors. Birds perceive *four* color axes, and would
need a monitor with four primary colors to produce what they would
consider "true color". Insects can see well up into the ultraviolet range
(as a result, some flowers that look monocolored to us have wild patterns
that only stand out in the ultraviolet -- they're pandering to the bees).

A camo color that doesn't fool *us* (e.g. blue) shouldn't necessarily be
expected to fool other animals. And even if it's been proven to actually
work for some (e.g. deer), one can't then assume that it would work for
others (e.g. ducks).

And besides, what macho hunter wants to dress in baby blue? :-)