the color black

[cedarpondfarm]

In reading the information on the website \"Poultry Genetics for the Nonprofessional\", I discovered something quite interesting.  I\'m sure some folks already knew this but I didn\'t.  

I quote:
\"White is actually all the colors combined and black is the lack of reflection of light in the visible range.  So one might argue that white and black are not really \'colors\' technically.\"

Further down the page, \"the beetle green sheen that can be seen in some poultry is due to the way the feather structure reflects light rather than the presence of a pigment\".

Those two statements seem like a contradiction.  What am I missing?
 

     

[Mike Gilbert]

Probably written by a politician.

[Guest]

too funny Mike...
April

[Guest]

I quote:
\"White is actually all the colors combined and black is the lack of reflection of light in the visible range. So one might argue that white and black are not really \'colors\' technically.\"

Further down the page, \"the beetle green sheen that can be seen in some poultry is due to the way the feather structure reflects light rather than the presence of a pigment\".

Those two statements seem like a contradiction. What am I missing?

I agree with you... I must be missing something also.. the only thing I see is it saying \"feather structure\".

Good luck
April

[Paul]

Laughter is good for the soul/spirit.  Thanks for the double dose.

Only a true politician; like our governor.

[QUADCH]

The iridescent green \"sheen\" of a black bird is not produced by pigment. It is produced by refracted light on very small prisims on the feathers. That\'s why it is very important to have good lighting when judging a Black East Indie, for example. Some lighting will make the bird look brown or purple as will poor feather condition, but the bird is still black.

Did I make that even more confusing?? :stare:

[cedarpondfarm]

I don\'t understand why the feathers can reflect green sheen in the visible range, but the same feathers can\'t reflect body color in the visible range?  Is the difference in the whole feather versus the prisms in the feather?    

[Anne Foley]

The subject is more complicated than it may at first seem.  Researchers have no doubt spent entire careers on the subject.  A short and easy to understand article you might find helpful (and pretty to look at) is from Cornell University\'s Ornithology Department.

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/studying/feathers/color/document_view