Full Spectrum Lighting
While a relatively new development in aviculture, reptile owners have used full spectrum lighting as an essential part of their animals habitat for years.
FULL-SPECTRUM LIGHTING has been shown to be beneficial to birds by mimicking a bird's natural environment. Breeder aviaries, exotic bird collections and poultry production farms were some of the original places that full spectrum lighting was used and observed to demonstrate a definite positive effect.
One of the greatest benefits of full-spectrum lighting is the natural synthesis of Vitamin D precursors allowing the animal to naturally regulate calcium uptake. Another important benefit of full-spectrum lighting is the effect it has on the glandular system; the Thyroid Gland controls how and when the other glands function and for it to function properly, it needs to be stimulated by normal photoperiods of full-spectrum light. The Hypothalamus is involved in proper feather development and skin. The Pineal Gland controls the cyclical processes such as molting and the reproductive cycle. Birds have four-color vision and the lower wavelength ultraviolet (UVA) adds the fourth visual perspective. Correct spectrum and photoperiod of light are also critical factors in normal preening as well as the skin and feather health of birds. If a bird's system is not stimulated through adequate environmental lighting to maintain proper endocrine function, it may become lethargic and not continue normal preening behaviors. A full-spectrum bulb with a CRI (color rendering index) of 90 or higher contains enough UVA to achieve this. It is middle ultraviolet light (UVB) that causes Vitamin D synthesis in the skin. Most professionals agree that the UVB needs to be somewhere between 290 and 310 nanometers in wavelength and a color temperature of 5000 Kelvin for this to occur.
*Glass windows filter out up to 90% of the beneficial UV spectrum unless that glass was made pre 1939. Aluminum screening used can filter out 30% or more UV light. High-grade acrylic (cages) filters out less than 5% of the UV light.
Source- FeatherBrite
*People who use full spectrum lighting with their birds say they notice an increase in the birds activity level, an increase in feather quality, and an overall increase in the birds happiness and well being. I use Featherbrite Full Spectrum lighting for each of my birds, and have noticed an increase in playing activity, and better feather quality.