This study uses a high-speed visualization technique to investigate the breakup process and flow behavior of low pressure water jets issued from non-circular orifices including square, triangular, and rectangular shapes. These orifices have approximately the same sectional areas. Stability curve and Ohnesorge chart are employed to make a comparison with circular jets discharged from a circular orifice of the same sectional area. The analysis is carried out for gauge pressures varying from 0.1 psi to 70 psi with small pressure steps corresponding to a range from 0.7 kPa to 482.6 kPa in metric units. Axis-switching phenomenon is observed and analyzed through calculating the axis-switching wavelength and oscillation frequency for rectangular jets. It is found that results for circular jets agreed well with classic theory. Non-circular jets demonstrate enhanced instabilities as a whole compared to circular jets. The different behaviors of non-circular jets are reasonably explained by Rayleigh's oscillation theory. Axis-switching and aspect-ratio effect in rectangular jets is found to slow down the increase of breakup-length in the Rayleigh breakup regime. Square and triangular jets are more susceptible to wind effects and they are more unstable especially at higher pressure conditions. This can be concluded from the shorter breakup-length and narrower transitional region from the Rayleigh regime to the wind-induced regime as compared to the circular and rectangular jets. Axis-switching wavelength of the rectangular jets is found to increase linearly with increasing jet velocity and oscillation frequency decreases correspondingly. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.