Mallard vision: the science and the numbers

Anas platyrhynchos · order Anseriformes · Birds: all the numbers

The mallard has four colour channels, including violet (417.5, 452, 501 and 570 nm).^[1][2] Its sharpest vision resolves 11.9 cycles per degree, against 63.75 for people in this dataset.^[6] Its eyes cover about 360° with 15° seen by both eyes.^[14]

See it on your photo Back to How does the mallard see?

4colour receptor classesMeasured
11.9cycles per degree (sharpness)Measured
360°field of viewMeasured

The mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is a bird in the order Anseriformes. Its eyes belong to the vision type Panoramic grain-eater and wader: four cone types, low to moderate sharpness and an almost all-round field of view. Measured in this species: colour, sharpness, field of view and night vision. 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 2026-10-02. Every value below carries its evidence level and sources; nothing is typed by hand.

What the mallard sees: colour receptors

Mallard: 417.5, 452, 501, 570 nmPeople: 421.5, 532, 558.4 nmWavelength in nanometres

What stands out

It has 4 colour receptor classes; people have 3.
Its sharpest vision resolves 11.9 cycles per degree: the finest stripe pattern it can tell apart from grey.
Its eyes cover about 360° around the head, with 15° seen by both eyes at once.
Activity pattern: cathemeral.

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 mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), catalogue-v1
Dial	Value	Evidence	Sources	People
Colour	Colour receptors 4 receptor classes: 417.5 nm (VS/SWS (violet)), 452 nm (SWS (blue)), 501 nm (MWS (green)), 570 nm (LWS (long)) measured in this species	Measured	^[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]
Sharpness	Acuity 11.9 cycles per degree median of 1 anatomical-ganglion rows (method priority rule); eye_axial_length_mm: larval/juvenile rows (adult rows used) set aside (labelled alternative: 13.2)	Measured	^[6]	Acuity: 63.75 cycles per degree Measured^[7][8]
Field of view	Binocular overlap 15° median of 2 rows (eyes-at-rest rows preferred)	Measured	^[9][10]	Binocular overlap: 122.5° Measured^[11][12] Total field of view: 200° Measured (not re-verified)^[13] Blind area behind the head: 160° Derived^[13] Eye placement: frontal Derived^[11][12]
	Total field of view 360° measured in this species (extension 2026-10, fov-verified.csv)	Measured	^[14]
	Blind area behind the head 0° 360 - total field	Derived	^[14]
	Eye placement lateral frontal if binocular overlap >= 60 deg, else lateral	Derived	^[9][10]
	Binocular field, vertical extent 180° (approximate); approximately horizontal plane; eyes in relaxed (resting) position; head in typical posture for the species; alert live birds	Measured	^[14]
	Field of one eye 183° (approximate); approximately horizontal plane; eyes in relaxed (resting) position; head in typical posture for the species; alert live birds	Measured	^[14]
	Total field (published value) 360° (approximate); approximately horizontal plane; eyes in relaxed (resting) position; head in typical posture for the species; alert live birds	Measured	^[14]
	Binocular field, widest at any elevation 20°; maximum binocular overlap (widest frontal binocular sector at any elevation); maximum binocular overlap (compiled)	Measured	^[15]
Sharp zones (foveas)	Number of foveas 1 median of 1 relatives in family Anatidae: Branta canadensis	Estimated	^[16]	Number of foveas: 1 Measured^[17] Fovea type: fovea Measured^[17]
Sharp zones (foveas)	Fovea type single central fovea (displaced dorso-temporally from retinal centre)	Estimated	^[16]
Night vision	Activity pattern cathemeral mode of 9 rows (of 9 rows): cathemeral; diurnal; not_nocturnal	Measured (not re-verified)	^{[18][19][20][21][22][2][23][24]}	Activity pattern: diurnal Measured (not re-verified)^{[18][25][26][2][27][28][29][24]} Pupil shape: vertical Group default^[30][31] Reflective layer (tapetum): no Measured^[32] Rods vs cones: cone-dominated Derived^{[18][25][26][2][27][28][29][24]} Night sensitivity (optical, against people): S = 0.93 µm² sr, 1 times people (log10 ratio 0) Derived^[33]
Night vision	Rods vs cones mixed nocturnal -> rod-dominated; crepuscular / cathemeral / mixed -> mixed; diurnal -> cone-dominated	Derived	^{[18][19][20][21][22][2][23][24]}
Motion (flicker fusion)	Flicker fusion frequency 88.5 Hz median of 17 relatives in class Aves: Bubo virginianus, Melopsittacus undulatus, Passer domesticus, Taeniopygia guttata, Columba livia, Calypte anna	Group default	^{[34][35][36][37][38]}	Flicker fusion frequency: 60 Hz Measured^[36][37]

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

Sources

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.