A common misconception, fueled by dramatic bullfighting depictions, is that bulls are enraged by the color red. Many assume the vibrant red cape, or muleta, provokes a bull’s aggressive charge. However, scientific understanding of bovine vision reveals a different truth about why these animals react as they do.
Dispelling the Red Myth
Bulls do not react to the color red. Scientific evidence shows cattle are not agitated by this hue. The idea that red incites their aggression is a widespread myth, perpetuated by cultural imagery rather than biological fact.
Research, including experiments, demonstrates that bulls charge at moving objects regardless of color. When presented with stationary flags or dummies of various colors, bulls charged them indiscriminately. This indicates color is not the trigger for their aggressive behavior.
How Bulls Perceive Their World
Bulls possess dichromatic vision, with two types of cone cells for color perception, unlike humans who have three. This limits their color perception primarily to shades of yellow, blue, and gray. A red cape would likely appear to a bull as yellowish-gray or a different shade of green or blue, not a distinct, vibrant red.
Their visual system is similar to human red-green color blindness, known as protanopia. While bulls cannot distinguish red from green, they are highly sensitive to movement. Erratic or sudden motion of an object, such as a waving cape, captures their attention and triggers a charging response, not specific color. Their wide field of vision, with eyes positioned on the sides of their head, is adapted to detect movement, useful for spotting potential predators.
The Tradition of the Red Cape
Despite bulls not reacting to red, the matador’s muleta is traditionally red for human perception and the spectacle of bullfighting. The red color enhances drama and visual appeal for the audience. It stands out clearly against the sandy arena, making the matador’s movements more visible to spectators, even those in distant seats.
The red hue also serves a practical purpose in concealing blood stains. As the bullfight progresses, the red fabric helps mask these marks, maintaining the performance’s aesthetic. Thus, the tradition of the red cape is rooted in human aesthetics and practicality within the bullfighting spectacle, not the bull’s reaction to color.