We have red, green, and blue cones. If you combine red and green light, it will be perceived as yellow. If you take the average of those wavelengths of light, you will find a specific wavelength of radiation that produces that yellow.
Magenta is perceived when red and blue cones are activated, and green ones are not. If you took the average wavelength of the red and blue lights, it would be green. There is no single wavelength of light perceived as magenta; our brains complete the spectrum.
I had to go on that tangent because I love talking about these colors. To answer the question more directly, the structure deflects green light. A pigment would absorb green light. In either case, the result is the same: red and blue light return to you. "Reflects red and blue light," "is perceived as purple" and "is purple" are all close enough in meaning for me.
Based on that picture, it's Indigo not Purple. Since Purple encompasses both Indigo and Violet when you're just refering to mixing red & blue and that image is Indigo leaning.
But on the light spectrum, Purple does not exist. As Indigo and Violet are two natural/distinctive colours on the spectrum.
Then if we get into inks we have Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow as those three are the primary colours that can mix and make any other colour when using ink. So Purple would fall under Magenta by default
Came to say this. Purple isn't a 'color' in the same we recognize other, natural colors. Magenta is more 'real' than purple in this scenario.
To make purple our brains are meshing indigo to the other end of the color spectrum and tricking our brains. The color our brains perceive is not actually what is being provided to us.
It's not exact, but similar for florescent colors.
No! The European ones have a really beautiful oil slick effect when the light hits them right. They're actually so pretty when you actually look at them (but also yeah invasive species etc, etc)
br0da
Wow! That is truly amazing.
evildadunit
grackles do this in shitones of brown
BlackTrashTiger
oozabooza
i always updoot birbs
nevergoingtogiveyouupnevergoingtoletyoudown
So basically it's purple is the exact same way most other creatures have blue. Structural.
NotACanadian
Basically all bird colors are structural. The only pigment most use is melanin.
TheBlueMuppet
Purple seems itchy.
khaoselement
That is a goddamn gorgeous birb.
ElectricSlideOrchestra
@oozabooza
loopdesigns
oozabooza
this is so cool, thanks!
TrumpRapesAndEatsChildren0002
"Violet wavelength"? Which one, please? In nm, if you could.
InitHello
420
TrumpRapesAndEatsChildren0002
that's pretty blue...
EstoyPoopis
69
theSpinnerBoy
Purpulest bird in the world SO FAR
firlefranz
Pœrpœrlæst, as we say Pœrpœrlænd.
CodyBurkett
That we know of
theSpinnerBoy
Hello CodyBurkett! Did you see my mention of you in a post of mine?
CodyBurkett
I did! I thought i commented?
jhuckaby
Honest question: Is the bird actually purple? Or is it like red + blue bits combined? Someone on the internet told me purple doesn't exist and
eepsheep
Second part = Yes 💜
Red and blue are meshing - but since red and blue are on opposite sides of the light spectrum - or brains do the imagining of what purple is.
Always makes me get all 'we all perceive our own reality' and wonder if purple is the same color for everyone.
Teneksi
We have red, green, and blue cones. If you combine red and green light, it will be perceived as yellow. If you take the average of those wavelengths of light, you will find a specific wavelength of radiation that produces that yellow.
Magenta is perceived when red and blue cones are activated, and green ones are not. If you took the average wavelength of the red and blue lights, it would be green. There is no single wavelength of light perceived as magenta; our brains complete the spectrum.
Teneksi
I had to go on that tangent because I love talking about these colors. To answer the question more directly, the structure deflects green light. A pigment would absorb green light. In either case, the result is the same: red and blue light return to you. "Reflects red and blue light," "is perceived as purple" and "is purple" are all close enough in meaning for me.
Cuptapus
It's complicated... but this isn't a pigment based color from what I understand, so it's purple in the way the purple part of a rainbow is purple.
bitemark
https://media0.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPWE1NzM3M2U1djR5aGVsdXUwaGdwc3hpYXcwcHR6M2pnaXE5cWZ2Y3Z3aXhtd2wxZSZlcD12MV9naWZzX3NlYXJjaCZjdD1n/6bdgwW6B0ooer3r8AZ/200w.webp
weave
That took me far too long to realise what was going on lol
SuicidalBallsack
MisterLemons
I say nay.
B l u e . https://imgur.com/EZ4Gu2i.jpg
MrStealYourGiF
Well, whatever grinds your sea snails I guess.
UnaccomplishedWatcherImNotaBot
Heretic. Blue is and always will be, on top. Literally
brattysubsam
Lies and libel! It is green all the way!
GrenithTheSkald
Based on that picture, it's Indigo not Purple. Since Purple encompasses both Indigo and Violet when you're just refering to mixing red & blue and that image is Indigo leaning.
But on the light spectrum, Purple does not exist. As Indigo and Violet are two natural/distinctive colours on the spectrum.
Then if we get into inks we have Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow as those three are the primary colours that can mix and make any other colour when using ink. So Purple would fall under Magenta by default
eepsheep
Came to say this. Purple isn't a 'color' in the same we recognize other, natural colors. Magenta is more 'real' than purple in this scenario.
To make purple our brains are meshing indigo to the other end of the color spectrum and tricking our brains. The color our brains perceive is not actually what is being provided to us.
It's not exact, but similar for florescent colors.
IDontKnowWhatToDoAnymoreAndImTired
Why the hell couldn't we have gotten THESE starlings as an invasive species rather than the European ones which look like flying mudballs?
IcarusTower
Well... make it happen
queernosaur
Aww, no they don't:( they're actually really pretty up close
bubblesuit24601
No! The European ones have a really beautiful oil slick effect when the light hits them right. They're actually so pretty when you actually look at them (but also yeah invasive species etc, etc)
FormerlySable
That plumage is seasonal, however.
bubblesuit24601
Is it really? I didn't know that
FormerlySable
The speckled, iridescent feathers are for spring and summer. Fall and winter are dull black.
bubblesuit24601
Oh interesting. I think I always assumed I saw it in spring and summer because the sun was finally shining on them. TIL