Ameraucana Breeders Club

The Official Forum of the Ameraucana Breeders Club => Ameraucana Marketplace => Topic started by: cedarpondfarm on January 25, 2010, 09:55:35 PM

Title: the color black
Post by: cedarpondfarm on January 25, 2010, 09:55:35 PM

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?
 

     

Title: the color black
Post by: Mike Gilbert on January 25, 2010, 10:23:42 PM

Probably written by a politician.

Title: the color black
Post by: Guest on January 25, 2010, 10:29:04 PM

too funny Mike...
April

Title: the color black
Post by: Guest on January 25, 2010, 10:31:03 PM

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

Title: the color black
Post by: Paul on January 26, 2010, 08:20:50 AM

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

Only a true politician; like our governor.

Title: the color black
Post by: QUADCH on January 26, 2010, 06:40:59 PM

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:

Title: the color black
Post by: cedarpondfarm on January 26, 2010, 09:29:25 PM

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?    

Title: the color black
Post by: Anne Foley on January 27, 2010, 07:32:22 AM

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