birds

UV Lights

A bird kept inside may well be deprived of UV light. Sunlight passing through a window would have had most of its UV filtered out. In addition, normal domestic light sources do not emit UV. Thus, there is a definite need to add UV light, and the Arcadia Bird Lamp does this.

Birds' feathers reflect UV light. This reflection of the plumage plays a role in the sexual selection of birds. Breeding should be more successful with UV present.

Birds such as mynah birds that appear black to the human eye will appear multi coloured to the avian eye. The same would apply to some white birds.

UV perception plays a significant role in the selective intake of food. Ripe fruit and berries appear as a different colour to a bird. Pollinating flowers include UV reflections, assisting the bird to home in. What a bird sees affects its appetite. Reds are redder and greens are greener with UV. A reluctant feeder needs UVA light to stimulate its appetite.

Vitamin D3 synthesis

Vitamin D3 is required by birds for healthy bone development.

Many species can synthesize vitamin D3 from sunlight through their skin. Specifically, it is the UVB light within the spectrum that enables D3 synthesis.

As birds are covered in feathers, they are unable to use their skin in this way. In most birds, the preen gland collects the precursor D3 from the bloodstream, and concentrates it in the gland oils. These are then exposed to UVB light by the bird spreading the gland oils on to its feathers during preening. The bird then ingests the UV exposed material when it preens itself again, and oil enters the body as previtamin D. The liver and kidney then convert this to vitamin D3.