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Brown rat vision: the science and the numbers

Rattus norvegicus · order Rodentia · Mammals: all the numbers

Rats have 2 colour receptor classes (358 and 509 nm), one of them in the ultraviolet.[1] Their sharpest vision resolves 1.5 cycles per degree, against 63.75 for people in this dataset.[6][7] Both eyes see the same 55.5° in front of them.[8] Rats stop seeing flicker at 51 Hz, against 60 Hz for people.[23]

See it on your photoBack to How do rats see?
  • 2colour receptor classesMeasured
  • 1.5cycles per degree (sharpness)Measured
  • 55.5°seen by both eyesMeasured
  • 51hertz flicker fusion (motion)Measured

The brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) is a mammal in the order Rodentia. Its eyes belong to the vision type Small prey mammal (UV): two or three cone types, often including ultraviolet, low sharpness and a near-panoramic field. Measured in this species: colour, sharpness, field of view, foveas, 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 rats see: colour receptors

Brown rat colour receptor peaks, 300 to 700 nmBrown rat: 2 receptor peaks at 358, 509 nm; you: 3 at 421.5, 532, 558.4 nm. ultraviolet300400500600700
Brown rat: 358, 509 nmPeople: 421.5, 532, 558.4 nmWavelength in nanometres

What stands out

  • It has two colour receptor classes (a dichromat): reds and greens fall on one axis, as in red-green colour blindness in people.
  • Its sharpest vision resolves 1.5 cycles per degree: the finest stripe pattern it can tell apart from grey.
  • Both eyes see the same 55.5° in front of it (binocular overlap), where depth is judged best.
  • It stops seeing flicker at 51 Hz, against 60 Hz for people in this dataset, so fast motion looks choppier to it.[24][25]
  • Activity pattern: nocturnal.

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 brown rat (Rattus norvegicus), catalogue-v1
DialValueEvidenceSourcesPeople
ColourColour receptors
2 receptor classes: 358 nm (UVS), 509 nm (MWS (green))
measured in this species
Measured[1]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]
Ultraviolet
yes: at least one receptor peaks in the ultraviolet		Measured
SharpnessAcuity
1.5 cycles per degree
median of 2 behavioural rows (method priority rule)
Measured[6][7]Acuity: 63.75 cycles per degree Measured[6][7]
Field of viewBinocular overlap
55.5°
median of 1 rows (eyes-at-rest rows preferred)
Measured[8]Binocular overlap: 122.5° Measured[9][8]
Total field of view: 200° Measured (not re-verified)[10]
Blind area behind the head: 160° Derived[10]
Eye placement: frontal Derived[9][8]
Eye placement
lateral
frontal if binocular overlap >= 60 deg, else lateral
Derived[8]
Sharp zones (foveas)Number of foveas
0
fovea_present / area_centralis_type (retinal topography; count 1 = fovea present, 0 = none)
Measured[11]Number of foveas: 1 Measured[11]
Fovea type: fovea Measured[11]
Fovea type
horizontal streak		Measured[11]
Night visionActivity pattern
nocturnal
mode of 6 rows (of 6 rows): cathemeral; nocturnal; scotopic
Measured (not re-verified)[12][13][14][15][16][7]Activity pattern: diurnal Measured (not re-verified)[17][12][13][2][14][18][15][16]
Pupil shape: vertical Group default[19][20]
Reflective layer (tapetum): no Measured[21]
Rods vs cones: cone-dominated Derived[17][12][13][2][14][18][15][16]
Pupil shape
circular		Group default[19]
Reflective layer (tapetum)
no		Measured[22]
Rods vs cones
rod-dominated
nocturnal -> rod-dominated; crepuscular / cathemeral / mixed -> mixed; diurnal -> cone-dominated
Derived[12][13][14][15][16][7]
Motion (flicker fusion)Flicker fusion frequency
51 Hz
median of 1 bright-light rows (behavioural/whole-eye ERG rows; all rows: [51.0]); cff_hz: dim-light rows (bright-light rows used) set aside (labelled alternative: 21.6, 25.0, 39.0, 42.0, 43.0, 47.0)
Measured[23]Flicker fusion frequency: 60 Hz Measured[24][25]

All mammals side by side: Mammals: every measurement. Method: how we know what animals see.

Sources

  1. Frazer et al. 2024
  2. Longcore 2023
  3. Kirwan
  4. Müller et al. 2009
  5. Thermal Activation and Photoactivation of Visual… 2004
  6. Kirk et al. 2004
  7. Veilleux et al. 2014
  8. Heffner et al. 1992
  9. Heesy 2004
  10. Campbell & Green 1965
  11. Kopania et al. 2025
  12. Borges et al. 2018
  13. Wilman et al. 2014
  14. Maor et al. 2017
  15. Schmitz et al. 2011
  16. Moura et al. 2024
  17. Anderson et al. 2017
  18. Jones et al. 2009
  19. Banks et al. 2015
  20. Cervino et al. 2021
  21. Guareschi et al. 2025
  22. Dunn et al. 2017
  23. Lafitte et al. 2022
  24. Healy et al. 2013
  25. 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.