Wearing blue clothes

Would wearing a blue parka scare away all birds and animals in the United Kingdom? Thànks.

  • Hi. My wife sometimes wears a dark blue waterproof jacket when we're out and about, and often brightly coloured bobble hats.!! :-)
    We see just the same amount of wildlife when she's out with me as I do when I'm alone and wearing mainly greens.
    Perhaps if you were looking for something more specific and easily spooked you would be better off trying to blend in with your surroundings though.
  • Most people do opt for brown or green clothes for birding but any subdued colours should be ok. In my opinion it is often movement that disturbs wildlife more that colours.
  • Thanks for your answers. The reason I asked is that Hunting forums are always going on about how deer see blue from a mile off, though they don't go into detail about other animals. Science would seem to back this up. So, by extension I was just wondering the same with regard to animals in general within the United Kingdom, and especially birds. When I googled photographs of the most successful bird photographers and featured birdwatchers a good proportion of them are wearing blue. Perhaps it's just deer.
  • I agree with my forum friends that movement is more likely to spook a bird first before a colour would but it was interesting to read about the comparisons between what colours a human sees and that a birds range of colour is far more extensive;   I found this article (American study) which was interesting, particularly the mention of Ultraviolet.  Seems white would be the most inappropriate colour to wear due to UV and maybe we shouldn't use washing powders for our clothes with brighteners in them !      There is so much to learn about birds !

  • Sheepdogviewer said:
    Thanks for your answers. The reason I asked is that Hunting forums are always going on about how deer see blue from a mile off, though they don't go into detail about other animals.

    Our local hunters all go out in very bright orange & yellow jackets, but that's to stop them shooting each other! LOL

  • Wendy S said:
    Most people do opt for brown or green clothes for birding but any subdued colours should be ok. In my opinion it is often movement that disturbs wildlife more that colours.

    I'm inclined to agree with Wendy, though many country folk will tend to wear dull greens or browns to try and blend in, it's more likely the movement that will alarm wildlife than the colour of clothing, and certainly dark colours.

    I've had robins feeding fro my hand wearing greens or browns, along with light blues on separate occasions. And on one occasion I had a black t-shirt with reflective strips on (a former mountaineering top) and a robin was still happy to feed from my hand in the back garden, 

    However. one thing I have found that does disturb birds, are glasses!

    Yes, I wear glasses, and I guess that is down to the fact they see another bird, which could rival them for that food, particularly sun glasses or darkened lenses.

    One other thought to share, watching the birds on the feeder about 5 mtrs away from the kitchen window, it doesn't matter whether I wear dark or light clothes when looking out from the kitchen window, or even far back from the kitchen window, the slightest movement and they're gone, waiting in the bushes to return to the feeder!

  • Wendy S said:
    Most people do opt for brown or green clothes for birding but any subdued colours should be ok. In my opinion it is often movement that disturbs wildlife more that colours.

    Think the records have gone a little awry regarding your name S ... or should I call you Wendy? Lol

  • WendyBartter said:

    Wendy S said:
    Most people do opt for brown or green clothes for birding but any subdued colours should be ok. In my opinion it is often movement that disturbs wildlife more that colours.

    Think the records have gone a little awry regarding your name S ... or should I call you Wendy? Lol

    I had to do a double check before I hit the reply button, but I notice that with each reply I've sent tonight, the forum throws a wobble and I get a master menu or something like that.