Birds can see light and color in the UV spectrum of light, while we humans cannot. Therefore birds see each other differently than we see them under UV lighting conditions. If you had florescent bulbs that gave off UVA and UVB light, it is said that it would help the birds to choose a mate while viewing each other the same way they would look in nature.
These UVA and UVB bulbs do not give off enough UV light to enable a bird to produce its own vitamin D. This can only be done in the presence of sunlight. Since most caged birds are housed indoors the supplement manufacturers have added vitamin D3 to all of the supplements made for birds. So as long as you are using a good vitamin/mineral supplement that contains vitamin D3, it is not necessary to purchase the expensive bulbs that give off UVA and UVB light.
I personally do use the Arcadia lamps which give off the UVA and UVB light waves because I am trying to duplicate, as closely as possible, what my birds would experience if they were outdoors.
I have a question on cage lighting for our Gouldians. Can we purchase full spectrum lighting at any Home Depot Store or do we have to purchase the avian bulbs? Some people say that you can go to Home Depot and purchase the daylight spectrum florescent bulbs, but others say that you need the expensive florescent bulbs that produce UVA and UVB light.
