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Anna's hummingbird vision: the science and the numbers

Calypte anna · order Apodiformes · Birds: all the numbers

Its sharpest vision resolves 6 cycles per degree, against 63.75 for people in this dataset.[6] The Anna's hummingbird stops seeing flicker at 75 Hz, against 60 Hz for people.[40]

See it on your photoBack to How does the Anna's hummingbird see?
  • 6cycles per degree (sharpness)Measured
  • 75hertz flicker fusion (motion)Measured

The Anna's hummingbird (Calypte anna) is a bird in the order Apodiformes. Its eyes belong to the vision type UV songbird, parrot and hummingbird: four cone types including a true ultraviolet cone, coloured oil droplets and fast motion vision. Measured in this species: sharpness, night vision and motion (flicker fusion). Measured core: measured values on at least 3 of the 6 dials.

This is a simulation built from published eye measurements, not what the animal experiences.

Method: How we know what animals see (the See Like Animals vision engine) · Sources · Last updated . Every value below carries its evidence level and sources; nothing is typed by hand.

What the Anna's hummingbird sees: colour receptors

Anna's hummingbird colour receptor peaks, 300 to 700 nmAnna's hummingbird: 4 receptor peaks at 417.5, 452, 501, 570 nm; you: 3 at 421.5, 532, 558.4 nm. ultraviolet300400500600700
Anna's hummingbird: 417.5, 452, 501, 570 nmPeople: 421.5, 532, 558.4 nmWavelength in nanometres

What stands out

  • Its sharpest vision resolves 6 cycles per degree: the finest stripe pattern it can tell apart from grey.
  • It stops seeing flicker at 75 Hz, against 60 Hz for people in this dataset, so fast motion looks about 1.3 times slower to it.[41][42]
  • Activity pattern: diurnal.

The six dials

Evidence levels: how the tiers work. "Measured" means a value measured in this species; "Estimated" values come from a close relative or an eye-size formula. The last column gives the values for people from the same catalogue.

Vision values for the Anna's hummingbird (Calypte anna), catalogue-v1
DialValueEvidenceSourcesPeople
ColourColour receptors
4 receptor classes: 417.5 nm (VS/SWS (violet)), 452 nm (SWS (blue)), 501 nm (MWS (green)), 570 nm (LWS (long))
receptor set of nearest measured relative Anas platyrhynchos (same class Aves)
Group default[1][2]Colour receptors: 3 receptor classes: 421.5 nm (VS/SWS (violet)), 532 nm (MWS (green)), 558.4 nm (LWS (long)) Measured (not re-verified)[2][3][4][5]
SharpnessAcuity
6 cycles per degree
median of 1 behavioural rows (method priority rule)
Measured[6]Acuity: 63.75 cycles per degree Measured[7][8]
Field of viewBinocular overlap
27.5°
median of 133 relatives in class Aves: Accipiter cooperii, Spatula clypeata, Mareca penelope, Anas platyrhynchos, Ardeola ralloides, Baeolophus bicolor
Group default[9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]Binocular overlap: 122.5° Measured[18][19]
Total field of view: 200° Measured (not re-verified)[20]
Blind area behind the head: 160° Derived[20]
Eye placement: frontal Derived[18][19]
Eye placement
lateral		Group default[9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]
Binocular overlap (published value)
22 to 23° (approximate); data pooled across Calypte anna (n=5) and Selasphorus rufus (n=2) by the authors (similar configuration); plane of the bill; eyes at rest unless stated		Measured[21]
Blind area behind the head (published value)
22 to 23° (approximate); data pooled across Calypte anna (n=5) and Selasphorus rufus (n=2) by the authors (similar configuration); plane of the bill; eyes at rest unless stated		Measured[21]
Blind area behind the head (published value)
27° (approximate); data pooled across Calypte anna (n=5) and Selasphorus rufus (n=2) by the authors (similar configuration); plane of the bill; eyes at rest unless stated; eyes converged		Measured[21]
Blind area behind the head (published value)
15 to 16° (approximate); data pooled across Calypte anna (n=5) and Selasphorus rufus (n=2) by the authors (similar configuration); plane of the bill; eyes at rest unless stated; eyes diverged		Measured[21]
Binocular field, vertical extent
190° (approximate); data pooled across Calypte anna (n=5) and Selasphorus rufus (n=2) by the authors (similar configuration); plane of the bill; eyes at rest unless stated		Measured[21]
Sharp zones (foveas)Number of foveas
1
median of 1 relatives in order Apodiformes: Apus apus
Group default[22]Number of foveas: 1 Measured[23]
Fovea type: fovea Measured[23]
Fovea type
temporal fovea only (no central pit)		Group default[22]
Night visionActivity pattern
diurnal
mode of 7 rows (of 7 rows): diurnal; not_nocturnal
Measured (not re-verified)[24][25][26][27][28][29][30]Activity pattern: diurnal Measured (not re-verified)[24][31][32][2][33][34][35][30]
Pupil shape: vertical Group default[36][37]
Reflective layer (tapetum): no Measured[38]
Rods vs cones: cone-dominated Derived[24][31][32][2][33][34][35][30]
Night sensitivity (optical, against people): S = 0.93 µm² sr, 1 times people (log10 ratio 0) Derived[39]
Rods vs cones
cone-dominated
nocturnal -> rod-dominated; crepuscular / cathemeral / mixed -> mixed; diurnal -> cone-dominated
Derived[24][25][26][27][28][29][30]
Motion (flicker fusion)Flicker fusion frequency
75 Hz
median of 1 bright-light rows (behavioural/whole-eye ERG rows; all rows: [75.0])
Measured[40]Flicker fusion frequency: 60 Hz Measured[41][42]

All birds side by side: Birds: every measurement. Method: how we know what animals see.

Sources

  1. Lind et al. 2014
  2. Longcore 2023
  3. Kirwan
  4. Müller et al. 2009
  5. Thermal Activation and Photoactivation of Visual… 2004
  6. Caves et al. 2024
  7. Kirk et al. 2004
  8. Veilleux et al. 2014
  9. Cantlay et al. 2023
  10. Lucas et al. 2024
  11. Vision et al. 2026
  12. Pecsics et al. 2023
  13. Portugal et al. 2023
  14. Potier et al. 2018
  15. Potier et al. 2023
  16. Tyrrell et al. 2017
  17. Tyrrell et al. 2017
  18. Heesy 2004
  19. Heffner et al. 1992
  20. Campbell & Green 1965
  21. Tyrrell et al. 2018
  22. Rodrigues et al. 2026
  23. Kopania et al. 2025
  24. Anderson et al. 2017
  25. Angielczyk et al. 2014
  26. Light conditions and the evolution of…
  27. Choiniere et al. 2021
  28. Wilman et al. 2014
  29. Schmitz et al. 2011
  30. Moura et al. 2024
  31. Borges et al. 2018
  32. Wilman et al. 2014
  33. Maor et al. 2017
  34. Jones et al. 2009
  35. Schmitz et al. 2011
  36. Banks et al. 2015
  37. Cervino et al. 2021
  38. Guareschi et al. 2025
  39. Brauburger et al. 2026
  40. Lafitte et al. 2022
  41. Healy et al. 2013
  42. Inger et al. 2014

Every value cites its sources (all sources). Values were extracted from these works and converted (units, medians, derived values); changes are ours, and the listed sources do not endorse this site. Data: catalogue-v1, built 2026-09-29. Accuracy notes: how accurate is this? Method: how we know.