upatsix.com - Your Source For Pet Bird Information

Hi, Everyone. Being bird owners and living in the NYC area, we have installed special windows that allow for a significant amount of uvb to pass through. Considering how inefficient full spectrum lighting provides uvb, you may want to consider changing out a window next to the bird to provide natural sunlight indoors.

My husband has done a little research and came up with the following that may help. A little too scientific for me, but some of you may understand and find it helpful.

Please be aware, the glass is about twice the cost of modern double pane glass.

Susan, Puppy & Einstein

My hub's research below:

The following is information about the glazing we used when we purchased new windows for our apartment. The glass is low iron glass called Starphire and is manufactured by PPG. Guardian also manufactures a similar product called Ultra White. This type glass is typically quoted as having a UV transmisivity of around 70%

http://corporateportal.ppg.com/NR/rdonl ... rphire.pdf

http://www.glassdistributorsinc.com/glass.htm


There are some links at the Precision Glass and Optics web site, who I believe were the original developers of the glass before PPG started to manufacture it:

http://www.pgo.com/pdf/ppg_starphire.pdf

The following is a detailed report that was prepared for a study on UV resistance testing of Photovoltaic cells where they did a detailed Spectral Radiance Plot on Starphire(Figure. 2)which shows that the 5.6mm sample had a transmittance of 12-74% in the UVB region.

http://www.atlas-mts.com/en/newsletter/ ... ndex.shtml

If you feel ambitious to calculate the Spectral Irradiance based on locations around the world (Like I did comparing the UVB in Congo vs. NYC (From mid March till September it is about 50-75% less. In the winter months, when there is no direct sunlight there is very little)

http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/models/spec ... CTRAL2.xls

Comparing all that to various Full Spectrum Lights:

http://www.reptilesdownunder.com/reptil ... re/uv/uvSA

So my interpretation on all this is:

Unless you get a medical grade Phillips TL UV light (which is dangerous at close distances) and place it 36 inches away from the bird for 12 hours a day, or place some high output Zoo Med Reptile lights 6 inches from the birds 24 hours a day, you will not get enough UVB from Full Spectrum lights to make much of a difference.

There is no better way to get UVB then placing the bird in direct sunlight outdoors.

Birds placed behind low iron glass on sunny days get in one hour the equivalent UVB exposure of 8 hours of Medical Grade UV lights at a distance of 36 inches or 17 hours of some Zoo Med lights at a distance 6 inches.