Goats are very interesting animals, and they are known for a lot of different things such as being goofy and eating everything they can get their mouths on.
One thing that they are especially known for, and is one of their most recognizable features, is their eyes.
It is no secret that goats have very different eyes and have a wide field of vision.
Seeing colors is an excellent tool to aid goats in their daily lives and for survival as they are able to accurately distinguish between different types of food and different things in their surroundings.
In this article we are going to explore what colors goats can see, what makes goats’ eyes so special, and whether all types of goats can see colors.
We are going to answer all of these questions and more as we dive deeper into the topic of do goats see color.
Let’s get into it!
Are goats color blind?
One myth that has been levelled at goats for a long time is that they are color blind.
Color blindness, also known as color deficiency, refers to the condition in which you are unable to see colors in a normal way and cannot distinguish between certain colors (usually between reds and greens and occasionally blues).
Color blindness can occur when one or more of the color cones in the eyes are not working properly or are absent.
Goats in fact are not color blind and are able to accurately distinguish between many different colors.
They do, however, find it difficult to perceive the color red and struggle to distinguish between different shades of red such as burgundy.
This is due to the fact that goats only have two cones in their eyes and are only able to perceive light in certain spectrums and this includes only a small amount of red light.
What colors can goats see?
Goats have evolved over time to have excellent eyesight and depth perception in their eyes.
This is so that they can spot predators from a distance and avoid and/or evade them.
It also allows them to navigate easily in the dark and avoid obstacles and impediments.
One of these many beneficial evolutions is the ability to see and distinguish between many different colors.
This allows them to effectively spot predators and different changes in their surroundings in the wild.
They can then use that information to make the best decisions possible and find the best ways to get out of bad or life-threatening situations.
When it comes to the different colors that goats can see, they are able to accurately see yellow, green, orange, violet, and blue.
Goats are able to perceive light in the blue/violet spectrum as well as light in the green to yellow/orange spectrum.
Out of all the colors that goats can see, they are able to distinguish the color orange the best while they are the worst at distinguishing the color blue.
What is so special about goats eyes?
Goats eyes are some of their most identifiable and notable features and are one of many reasons that people find goats so interesting.
Goats eyes are placed on either side of their head and they have horizontal pupils.
This gives them an excellent field of vision, allowing them to see in 320 degrees.
They are able to see clearly and sharply in most directions and across large distances, with only one blind spot behind their head.
But what does this have to do with goats being able to see colors?
Well, the slits in goats’ eyes allow them to have a high level of light control and they are able to control the amount of light that is entering into their eyes at different times of the day.
Goats are able to see a wide range of spectrums of light and to do this they have two different types of color receptors in their retinas known as cones.
Goats are dichromats which means they only have two cones within their retina which each have different attributes and specialties.
These different receptors are sensitive to different types of light (mainly blue and green) and gives goats the ability to differentiate between different colors effectively.
Can goats see colors in the dark?
Even for humans it can be difficult to see colors when it is pitch black, let alone distinguish between very similar colors.
This is not the same for goats, however, as their eyes have evolved to give them excellent vision in the night.
The positioning of their eyes and the fact they are slightly off centred, assist them to see clearly at night and across great distances.
As a result of this, goats are able to not only see well at night but are also able to see colors clearly.
They are also able to accurately distinguish between different colors even if they are closely related.
This excellent vison allows them to see small variations in their surroundings and quickly respond to anything that occurs especially if it is dangerous or life threatening.
Can pygmy goats see color?
The answer to this question is yes, pygmy goats can see colors.
All goats in fact can see colors.
As mentioned above, this is one of the many different evolutionary enhancements that goats have undergone throughout their existence that has allowed them to survive and effectively avoid and evade predators.
Goats evolved to have excellent eyesight long before they were domesticated by humans and many goats in the wild continue to use their good eyesight for survival today.
If you still don’t believe me, you can test out your own goat’s eyesight for yourself at home by using experiments and games to see if they react to colors, and exactly which colors they respond to!
Can baby goats see color?
Yes, baby goats are able to see colors. They are able to see colors from the moment they are born.
When baby goats are born, they spend the majority of the first part of their lives with their mothers in a suitable shelter such as a barn or shed.
These shelters are usually well lit and warm and provide a comfortable location for them.
As a result, they don’t have a lot to look at, but they are still able to distinguish between the different colors of the items in the barn and can even distinguish between the different goats in the barn as well.
Goats are very curious and intelligent animals and they have evolved over time to be able to have excellent eyesight.
The main evolution is with their eyes which are positioned on the sides of their face and have horizontal, rectangular pupils.
This gives goats excellent peripheral vision being able to see 320 degrees around them, a high degree of night vision, a high level of depth perception, and, of course, the ability to distinguish between many different colors.