One of our local bird vets (and an
old friend of mine from my "raptor rehab days") just gave a talk about birds and
lighting. It seems that birds see in a different part of the spectrum than we do. We have
three types of light detecting cells in our eyes called cones. One absorbs blue light, one
red, and one green. These three types of cells provide us with our entire visual
interpretation of color. Birds have four types of cones and the wavelengths of light they
are sensitive to are shifted to the left of the spectrum. They do not pick up as much
information from the red end of the spectrum as we do, however, they pick up more
information from the violet and ultraviolet ends of the spectrum. Since we can not see in
this end of the spectrum, we have no idea what things reflect light in this end of the
spectrum. Scientists in Europe are finding out that birds of different gender reflect UV
light in different ways. The problem is that the only way to see this is to have it
interpreted for us by a camera with special film that is sensitive to UV light.
My concern is the ramifications of the effects of keeping a bird
under light that is not within its visual spectrum. Limiting the colors they can see would
be similar to having us live under only "black light." Yes we could learn to
function, but my guess would be that some of us would be extremely stressed by the
situation.The teem "full spectrum" refers only to what WE consider to be full
spectrum, which means light of the wavelengths we can appreciate. It doesn't mean full
spectrum to a bird. To be full spectrum to a bird, it must emit wavelengths in the part of
the spectrum they can appreciate, which means more toward the UV. To determine the
wavelengths put out by the bulb, ask the manufacturer for the information (I would guess
that this is probably on a web site somewhere, but this isn't my area). My own personal
research has led me to using the Reptisun bulb by ZooMed. I will refrain from quoting and
cross referencing and leave that to someone else (A day back and forth from the vet with a
bird with a partially amputated leg has left me drained and crabby) Suffice to say that I
am as faithful to Reptisun as I am to Harrison's. (Give me Harrison's or take my birds!)
About six years ago, I started keeping my birds on full spectrum
lighting because, although there was an apalling absence of data, I believed I could tell
a difference in the birds. Now with more evidence and data and a more complete
understanding of these animals, I could not, with any good conscience go back to standard
lights. I worry about people who say they have their birds under full spectrum sometimes
and under standard sometimes. I think that would be likre living under a black light
sometimes and in day light sometimes. I think, that going b ack and forth would be harder
to deal with than being deprived the full spectrum.
As far as health benefits go, it is hard to separate emotional
health from physical health because emotional stress is often revealed in physical
manifestations. We know that there are birds that "seem" fine although they
haven't experienced the light of day in decades. There are also birds that experience
amazing health improvements when placed under full spectrum lighting. We can not say that
the improvements are not connected to reduced emotional stress, and I would think that not
being able to see the types of things they are designed to be able to see, may cause
significant stress in certain individuals. This may be a partial answer to the question of
"Why does my bird get feather bronzing without full spectrum light but hers
doesn't?"
I have always used full spectrum lighting since I found out about
it. I have felt very strongly about this when it comes ot my birds. However, I had stayed
off the bandwagon and had not preached this to everyone I've met (the way I do Harrison's
pellets) until now.
(Okay, everybody, get your mechanical pencils out of your pocket
protectors and bang on the desk chanting "FULL SPECTRUM LIGHTING!!! FULL SPECTRUM
LIGHTING!!! FULL SPECTRUM LIGHTING!!!" Just keep in mind that OUR definition of full
spectrum is full to the bird's eye.) PROVIDE your bird with UV LIGHT and YOUR bird WILL be
SAVED!!! (My apologies to any evangelists that might be reading this.)
Dianalee
