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I had the strangest experience riding to work this morning.
Just before sunrise on the gravel and I saw ahead of me what I thought was a tiny yellow light. As I got closer it started to rise. Brain decided perhaps it's a firefly - very cool. "Oh my goodness" I uttered, also thinking you don't often see just one firefly alone.
Then it came towards me and above my head and I saw the silhouette of a bird.
So was the light the reflection of the bird's eyes or maybe the bird's breakfast I wonder?
I assume predatory (nocturnal) birds like owls may have reflective eyes?
I assume predatory (nocturnal) birds like owls may have reflective eyes?
Yes, they do, although other birds might, you just don’t see them around in the dark.
I'm pretty sure I've never seen reflective fish fingers.
It'll be a malfunction in the software that caused the tiny visual processors to become reflective.
Wake up sheeple.
Many animals have reflective eyes; on night safaris it’s often the first thing you can see when using a searchlight
Love how there are birds on the Birds Aren’t Real sign. Do your own research!
riding to work this morning.
Just before sunrise
It's light around 03:45 at the moment, what time do you start work??????
Love how there are birds on the Birds Aren’t Real sign. Do your own research!
Got any proof they aren’t mini drones?
It’s light around 03:45 at the moment, what time do you start work??????
Its reeksy, the Wizard in Aus
Owls' eyes are. I dazzled one on a night ride and saw its eyes glowing back at me.
Yeah it was about 5.50, work starts whenever I’m ready.
Pretty sure it was only one eye…
Some birds do and others don't have reflective eyes. The reflection is from the Tapetum Lucidum, a layer of tissue behind the retina which enhances vision in low light, so nocturnal birds will have it. Many mammals have the layer, but humans don't.
I was once walking the dog and saw some eyeshine in the torch, several yards in front of us in a tussocky field. I thought it was a bunny and walked towards it, but when I got within a few feet realised it was a woodcock.
Some birds do and others don’t have reflective eyes. The reflection is from the Tapetum Lucidum, a layer of tissue behind the retina which enhances vision in low light, so nocturnal birds will have it. Many mammals have the layer, but humans don’t.
That's really interesting. Presumably it's the intensity of the light from the flash that causes red-eye in photos of humans then?
Back to OP - have seen eye reflections from owls and snipe. Also some unidentified tree-dwelling beasts that were hanging around Laggan on my first ever solo night ride, giving me the heebiest jeebies of my life.
That’s really interesting. Presumably it’s the intensity of the light from the flash that causes red-eye in photos of humans then?
Apparently that's the flash lighting up the choroidal layer, which carries blood, hence the red colour. Although it's a reflection of sorts, it isn't the same as eyeshine from the tapetum.
Red eye is literally from the blood in the eyeball - we don’t have the tapetum.
