News Animals

Guppies fall for a classic optical illusion. Doves, usually, do too

Ecological niche and past experiences shape how animals perceive the world 

An image of a blue, green and black fish.

Comparing the susceptibility of guppies (one shown) and ring doves to a classic optical illusion hints at how perception might have evolved.

serkanmutan/Getty Images

By Sujata Gupta

Duping a guppy is easier than duping a ring dove — at least when it comes to a classic optical illusion.  

In the Ebbinghaus illusion, two identical circles placed side by side are each framed by a set of either smaller or larger circles.