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Turkey vulture vision: the science and the numbers

Cathartes aura · order Accipitriformes · Birds: all the numbers

Their sharpest vision resolves 14.9 cycles per degree, against 63.75 for people in this dataset.[6][7] Their eyes cover about 259° with 30° seen by both eyes.[14][10]

See it on your photoBack to How do turkey vultures see?
  • 14.9cycles per degree (sharpness)Measured
  • 259°field of viewEstimated

The turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) is a bird in the order Accipitriformes. Its eyes belong to the vision type Raptor telephoto: four cone types, two foveas and very high sharpness. Measured in this species: sharpness, field of view, foveas 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 . Every value below carries its evidence level and sources; nothing is typed by hand.

What turkey vultures see: colour receptors

Turkey vulture colour receptor peaks, 300 to 700 nmTurkey vulture: 4 receptor peaks at 405, 449, 504, 567 nm; you: 3 at 421.5, 532, 558.4 nm. ultraviolet300400500600700
Turkey vulture: 405, 449, 504, 567 nmPeople: 421.5, 532, 558.4 nmWavelength in nanometres

What stands out

  • Its sharpest vision resolves 14.9 cycles per degree: the finest stripe pattern it can tell apart from grey.
  • Its eyes cover about 259° around the head, with 30° seen by both eyes at once.
  • 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 turkey vulture (Cathartes aura), catalogue-v1
DialValueEvidenceSourcesPeople
ColourColour receptors
4 receptor classes: 405 nm (VS/SWS (violet)), 449 nm (SWS (blue)), 504 nm (MWS (green)), 567 nm (LWS (long))
receptor set of nearest measured relative Buteo buteo (same order Accipitriformes)
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
14.9 cycles per degree
median of 2 anatomical-ganglion rows (method priority rule)
Measured[6][7]Acuity: 63.75 cycles per degree Measured[8][9]
Field of viewBinocular overlap
30°
median of 1 rows (eyes-at-rest rows preferred)
Measured[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
259°
rule: total = 2 x monocular field - binocular overlap (round-1 B12)
Derived[14][10]
Blind area behind the head
101°
blind area = 360 - total field
Derived[14][10]
Eye placement
lateral
frontal if binocular overlap >= 60 deg, else lateral
Derived[10]
Binocular overlap (published value)
26°; horizontal plane (90 deg elevation); eyes converged (binocular boundaries measured with eyes spontaneously fully rotated forwards, Methods); alert live birds (falconry parks)		Measured[15]
Sharp zones (foveas)Number of foveas
1
retinal topography
Measured (not re-verified)[16]Number of foveas: 1 Measured[17]
Fovea type: fovea Measured[17]
Fovea type
deep central only		Measured (not re-verified)[16]
Night visionActivity pattern
diurnal
mode of 6 rows (of 6 rows): diurnal; not_nocturnal
Measured (not re-verified)[18][19][20][21][22][23]Activity pattern: diurnal Measured (not re-verified)[18][24][25][2][26][27][28][23]
Pupil shape: vertical Group default[29][30]
Reflective layer (tapetum): no Measured[31]
Rods vs cones: cone-dominated Derived[18][24][25][2][26][27][28][23]
Night sensitivity (optical, against people): S = 0.93 µm² sr, 1 times people (log10 ratio 0) Derived[32]
Rods vs cones
cone-dominated
nocturnal -> rod-dominated; crepuscular / cathemeral / mixed -> mixed; diurnal -> cone-dominated
Derived[18][19][20][21][22][23]
Motion (flicker fusion)Flicker fusion frequency
77.7 Hz
median of 1 relatives in order Accipitriformes: Parabuteo unicinctus
Group default[33]Flicker fusion frequency: 60 Hz Measured[34][35]

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. 2018
  7. Caves et al. 2024
  8. Kirk et al. 2004
  9. Veilleux et al. 2014
  10. Potier et al. 2023
  11. Heesy 2004
  12. Heffner et al. 1992
  13. Campbell & Green 1965
  14. Potier et al. 2018
  15. Potier et al. 2018
  16. Potier et al. 2017
  17. Kopania et al. 2025
  18. Anderson et al. 2017
  19. Angielczyk et al. 2014
  20. Light conditions and the evolution of…
  21. Wilman et al. 2014
  22. Schmitz et al. 2011
  23. Moura et al. 2024
  24. Borges et al. 2018
  25. Wilman et al. 2014
  26. Maor et al. 2017
  27. Jones et al. 2009
  28. Schmitz et al. 2011
  29. Banks et al. 2015
  30. Cervino et al. 2021
  31. Guareschi et al. 2025
  32. Brauburger et al. 2026
  33. Lafitte et al. 2022
  34. Healy et al. 2013
  35. 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.