Brown is the most common eye color in humans, so we’re often mesmerized when we see eye colors outside the norm, such as blue, green, and amber. Most animals, regardless of the species, have brown eyes too. Since animal eyes are generally dark and don’t stand out much, we often pay little attention to them.
However, many people don’t realize that the animal kingdom has a wide range of unique eye colors. Some species have blue, red, orange, green, and even purple eyes. For many of these animals, the coloring serves a purpose, but for others, it’s unclear why their eyes look so unusual. Keep reading to see some gorgeous animal eye colors and discover why they look like they do.
1. Mossy New Caledonian Gecko
Most people have never gotten close enough to a mossy New Caledonian gecko to observe the eye color (or you’ve probably never seen one of these geckos at all if you’ve never been to New Caledonia). When zooming into the eyes of these reptiles, you’ll see that their eyes are mostly off-white, light brown, or gray with dark-colored zigzags to break up the light coloring. The lines are so perfect that it almost looks like someone painted a design on their eyes.
Like most geckos, the pupils of this large gecko species shrink into vertical slits during the day. During that time, the color of the gecko’s eye covers most of the area. For mossy New Caledonian geckos, the eye color is similar to the color pattern of their scales (gray, white, and brown). So, their eyes match their skin, helping them blend in better. At night, their pupils expand so they can more easily hunt.
2. Satin Bowerbird
Satin bowerbirds have gorgeous eyes that are usually violet or deep blue. Males, which have black feathers with a purple tint, tend to have brighter eyes, while females, which have brownish-green feathers, are more likely to have lighter purple eyes. Both male and female eyes are stunning.
The males of this species build bowers (shady areas) to impress females. Many males seem to favor colors that are similar to their eyes when choosing supplies. Some of those items include manmade items they find since blue and purple aren’t common in nature.
3. Great Cormorant
Cormorants may not be colorful birds in terms of plumage, but they often have bold eye colors. The great cormorant has one of the most stunning irises, showing off beautiful turquoise eyes. During the breeding season, these eyes may appear even more vibrant. The eyes look too colorful to be real, making them an incredible sight in person.
Cormorants, like the great cormorant, have better eyesight than humans. Since they need to dive underwater to catch prey, they have stronger muscles around their eyes and more flexible lenses. The unique colors could possibly be a result of that.
4. Shortfin Lionfish
A shortfin lionfish’s eyes are unlike any eye color you’ve ever seen. From a distance, the eye might not seem like anything special. However, if you look closely, you might see vertical, wavy lines that are green and blue. This appearance is called corneal iridescence, which is when an iridescent layer appears over the eye, making it look like it’s shimmering or glowing.
Corneal iridescence is common in marine animals that live in shallow water, especially near rocks. This condition is thought to help these animals camouflage among the rocks, and the shortfin lionfish is included in that. Since these eyes don’t look like your typical eye, it could be easier for predators to overlook fish, thinking they’re just another stone.
5. Great Hornbill
Great hornbills have bold eye colors, but the eye color differs between males and females. Females have bright white eyes, often with a blue tint. However, males have vibrant red eyes that you can’t miss. Otherwise, the two sexes look very similar, with black and white plumage and a massive beak that looks like it has a horn on top.
Despite the difference in eye color, both males and females seem to have good vision. However, what differentiates their vision from other birds is that they can easily see the end of their beak because it’s so big. This feature allows them to handle food more carefully.
6. Crocodile
Most of us don’t get close enough to crocodiles to see their eye color, and that’s definitely a good thing. However, that means most people don’t know how beautiful crocodile eyes can be. Crocodile eyes are typically solid green or yellow-green, but the color of the iris can vary slightly depending on the species.
Crocodile eyes are located on the top of the head so they can see their surroundings even when their bodies are fully submerged in water. They have good vision, too, allowing them to see fine details without needing to move. Plus, their eye color is similar to the color of plants floating on the water, which could make it difficult for other animals to spot them. Thus, the design of a crocodile eye is perfect for hunting prey.
7. Mantis Shrimp
It’s hard to describe the eyes of a mantis shrimp, but it definitely looks special. Up close, it has an interesting pattern of lines, and if you look even closer, it has a texture similar to a bug’s eye. Mantis shrimp eyes are normally brown, purple, red, or a mixture of all three.
Their unique-looking eyes give them better color vision than the average animal. It’s believed that these animals can see a lot more colors than humans. We have three types of color-activated receptors in our eyes, while mantis shrimp have twelve to sixteen. So, they can register a wider range of colors, meaning they may even be able to see colors that are invisible to humans.
8. Eagle Owl
Owls have big, bold eyes, which is why many people think they look wise. Of all the owl species, eagle owls have one of the coolest eye colors because their eyes are bright orange. Great horned owls have a similar look, but they have yellow eyes instead. Since owls typically hunt at night, their large eyes are meant to help them see in the dark. Their big eyes allow them to take in more light so they can locate prey in low-light conditions.
You can usually tell an owl’s hunting habits based on the color of their eyes. Owls with orange eyes, like eagle owls, typically hunt at dusk and dawn. Owls with yellow eyes often hunt during the day. Then, owls with darker eyes do most of their hunting at night.
9. Red-Eyed Tree Frog
A red-eyed tree frog’s striking eye color is so significant that it’s in the name. Many people are familiar with this random frog species because they adore its unique coloring. Yet, what most people don’t realize is that the red-eyed tree frog’s eye color is for more than just looks. It also acts as a defense mechanism.
When red-eyed tree frogs completely close their eyes, you can’t see any red. Instead, their head is fully green, helping them blend in with the leaves. However, if a predator approaches them while their eyes are closed, the frog can quickly open their eyes to reveal an unexpected red color. In many instances, this will startle the predator, giving the frog time to escape.
10. Dragonfly
Dragonflies are often favored above other insects because they are found in a wide range of colors. If you look closely, you’ll notice that their eyes also come in unique colors, like blue, green, yellow, and red. In many cases, dragonfly eyes are a similar color to the rest of the creature’s body.
Like mantis shrimp, dragonflies have mesmerizing eyes because they have incredible color vision. Not only do they have big eyes that allow them to take in their surroundings, but they are likely seeing colors we can’t even comprehend. Depending on the species, dragonflies can have anywhere from 15 to 33 opsins, which are photoreceptor pigments that help them see and detect light.
11. Blue-Eyed Black Lemur
As the name implies, most blue-eyed black lemurs have striking blue eyes. However, that’s not the case for every individual. Some of these lemurs have similar colors, such as green and gray, which don’t stand out as much as the blue eyes. Both males and females can have blue eyes, but males have black fur while females have brown.
The blue eyes of these mammals especially stand out because the color isn’t common in primates. Other than humans, the only primates known to have blue eyes are some spider monkey species. Even in humans, blue eyes are much rarer than brown eyes.
12. Snow Leopard
Many animals in the cat family have yellow eyes, but snow leopards typically have green, blue, or gray eyes. Light green eyes are typically the most common. These colors look amazing next to the feline’s white spotted coat.
Some experts believe that these light-colored eyes help the cats blend into their snowy surroundings, while others think it can help them detect prey in the snow. Regardless of the reason, these unique colors make snow leopard eyes stand out from similar species.
13. Tokay Gecko
Tokay geckos are stunning in general because of their blue-gray scales with red-orange spots. However, their eyes are usually a mixture of yellow, green, gold, and/or brown, which stand out well against their skin, making them even more interesting to look at. In addition to a unique eye color, these geckos also have weird pupils. Instead of being a slit, like some geckos, the vertical pupil has a zigzag pattern along the edges.
The unique pupils of these eyes may change depending on the time of day. When it’s dark out, their pupils are round and almost circular. However, during the day, they shrink into the bizarre thin shape that they’re known for. It’s believed that the pupil shape may help these geckos focus on multiple distances at once.
14. Cat
Most animals have one eye color and maybe a rare variation or two. Yet, pet cats have a wide range of eye colors, just like humans do. Yellow, amber, orange, hazel, green, and blue are just a few examples of cat eye colors. Kittens are born with blue eyes, but the pigments in the iris cause that color to change as the kitten grows up. Blue eyes are rare in adult cats, but they’re more common in some breeds like Ragdolls and Siamese cats.
Like humans, genetics play a huge role in a cat’s eye color. The genes of both parents can influence what a cat’s eyes will look like in adulthood. In a cat’s eyes, the pigments present and the distribution of those pigments determine its eye color. In rare cases, cats could have heterochromia, which means having two different-colored eyes (humans can have this, too).
15. Tarsier
Tarsiers are small primates known for their massive eyes, so it’s hard not to focus on their eye color. Their eyes are usually a mix of amber, green, yellow, and brown. These colors are especially noticeable when a tarsier’s pupils shrink to a small dot. While their eye color is unique, it’s somewhat similar to their fur color, helping them camouflage.
These animals are nocturnal, so having big eyes helps them see well in low-light conditions. At night, their pupils expand so much that you can barely see the color of their eyes. Even though their night vision is good, their color vision isn’t the best. It’s similar to a dog’s vision because they can’t see colors like red and green.
