The belief that bulls are enraged by the color red is a common and enduring misconception, often depicted in media and cultural traditions. This popular myth suggests the hue itself incites aggression in these powerful animals. However, scientific understanding of bovine vision reveals that the color red is not the trigger for a bull’s charge, as a bull’s visual perception differs significantly from that of humans.
How Bulls See Color
Bulls, like other cattle, possess dichromatic vision, meaning their eyes have two types of cone cells responsible for perceiving color, unlike humans who have three. This physiological difference limits their color spectrum considerably. Bulls primarily see the world in shades of yellow, blue, and gray. They lack the specific retinal receptors necessary to process red and green light as distinct colors.
For a bull, the vibrant red of a matador’s cape, or muleta, likely appears as a dull gray or brownish hue. This means that red is essentially invisible to them in the way humans perceive it. Their vision is similar to that of a human with red-green colorblindness, also known as protanopia. While they can distinguish between blues and yellows, and some shades of green and violet, red does not register as a unique, stimulating color.
What Actually Provokes a Bull
The aggressive reaction observed in bulls, particularly in the context of bullfighting, is not caused by the color red but by movement. Bulls are naturally reactive to rapid or erratic motion, and it is the sudden, sweeping movements of an object, such as a matador’s cape, that captures their attention and triggers a charge. This response is rooted in their instinct, as large mammals often exhibit a strong fight-or-flight reaction when faced with sudden movements or perceived threats.
Any color of cape, if moved provocatively, would elicit a similar aggressive response from a bull. Experiments have shown that bulls will charge at capes of various colors, including white, blue, or green, with the same intensity, provided the object is in motion. The bull’s charge is a response to the perceived threat and disturbance in its environment, not to a specific hue.
The Myth’s Origins
The enduring myth that bulls dislike the color red largely stems from the cultural tradition of bullfighting, or corrida de toros, where the muleta (the matador’s cape) is red. This association has been perpetuated through centuries of popular culture and artistic depictions. However, the red color of the cape serves practical and traditional purposes for the human participants and the audience, rather than having any effect on the bull’s behavior.
One practical reason for the red color is to mask bloodstains that may occur during the bullfight, making the spectacle less gruesome. Additionally, red is a highly visible color in a large arena, allowing spectators to clearly see the matador’s movements and the performance. The use of the red muleta in the final stages of a bullfight is primarily a matter of tradition and theatricality, contributing to the drama of the event.