“Bulls are enraged by the color red.”

It's a common image: a bullfighter waving a bright red cape, and a charging bull responding with fury. This dramatic scene has led many to believe that the color red itself is what enrages bulls. This misconception likely stems directly from the visual spectacle of bullfighting, where the "muleta," the small red cape, is a central prop used by the matador. For centuries, audiences have witnessed bulls reacting aggressively to the waving red fabric, naturally concluding that the vibrant hue is the culprit.

However, the truth is that bulls are largely indifferent to the color red. Scientific evidence shows that cattle are dichromatic, meaning they primarily see in two color ranges, often described as a form of red-green color blindness. Their eyes lack the specific cone cells necessary to distinguish between red and green. What actually provokes a bull's charge is not the color of the cape, but rather its movement. The sudden, sweeping motions of the matador's cape, regardless of its color, are what agitate the animal and trigger its defensive or aggressive reactions.

The persistence of this myth can be attributed to several factors. For humans, red is a color often associated with danger, anger, and passion, making it seem intuitive that it would provoke a strong reaction in an animal. The theatrical nature of bullfighting further reinforces this idea; the red cape adds to the drama and intensity of the event for human spectators. Consequently, the myth has been passed down through generations, becoming a widely accepted "fact" despite scientific understanding to the contrary.