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Determination of Photoreceptor Cell Spectral Sensitivity in an Insect Model from In Vivo Intracellular Recordings
Published on: February 26, 2016
Ultraviolet sensitivity and colour vision in raptor foraging
Olle Lind1, Mindaugas Mitkus, Peter Olsson
1Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, 22362 Lund, Sweden. olle.lind@biol.lu.se
The Journal of Experimental Biology
|June 21, 2013
Summary
Raptors likely do not use ultraviolet (UV) vision for hunting voles or seeing blue tits. Their ocular media limits UV sensitivity, suggesting color vision
Area of Science:
- Avian vision
- Ocular physiology
- Behavioral ecology
Background:
- Raptors possess acute vision, but their use of color, particularly ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths, remains poorly understood.
- Previous hypotheses suggested raptors utilize UV reflections from prey (e.g., vole urine) for foraging and that UV plumage in songbirds is concealed from raptor vision.
- A critical knowledge gap exists regarding raptor ocular media transmittance, which dictates their UV sensitivity limits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify ocular media transmittance in several raptor species to fully describe their UV sensitivity.
- To evaluate the reliability of vole urine as a visual signal for raptors.
- To assess the contrast of blue tit plumage under UV reflectance for both conspecifics and raptors.
Main Methods:
- Measurement of ocular media transmittance in common buzzards (Buteo buteo), sparrowhawks (Accipiter nisus), red kites (Milvus milvus), and kestrels (Falco tinnunculus).
- Spectrophotometric analysis of vole urine reflectance.
- Comparative analysis of plumage reflectance and spectral sensitivity.
Main Results:
- Vole urine reflectance is unlikely to provide a reliable visual cue for hunting raptors.
- Blue tit plumage exhibits greater contrast for blue tits than for sparrowhawks due to UV reflectance.
- Raptor UV sensitivity is limited, suggesting UV cues are of minimal importance in interactions with voles and songbirds.
Conclusions:
- Ultraviolet cues play a minor role in raptor foraging strategies related to voles and songbirds.
- The functional significance of color vision in raptor foraging remains an open question requiring further investigation.
- Subtle differences in spectral sensitivity between raptor species may necessitate behavioral studies for complete understanding.
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