Stimulus luminance and the spatial acuity of domestic fowl (Gallus g. domesticus)

The luminance dependence of spatial acuity in domestic fowl was measured directly over stimulus luminances ranging from 0.06 to 57.35 cd m−2. At the highest luminance, acuity was around 6.5 c deg−1, in agreement with previous studies in this species. As stimulus luminance decreased, acuity fell with increasing rate to 3.2 c deg−1 at 0.06 cd m−2, following the same shape as acuity functions for other mammalian and avian species. These findings suggest that the rod–cone transition for domestic fowl is between 0.45 and 1.79 cd m−2. Over the photopic range from 1.79 to 57.35 cd m−2 the change of acuity for fowl was 1%, compared with 32% for humans. For domestic fowl, the Rovamo–Barten MTF model of contrast sensitivity accounted for the behaviour of acuity as a function of luminance down to mesopic levels.