Do Hummingbirds See in Ultraviolet?

Curé, M.; Palacios, Adrián

doi:10.2174/1874431100903010009

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…A final caveat is that we have assumed that hummingbirds, like almost all other diurnal birds studied to date (7), possess the typical complement of four color cone types. This inference is supported by several lines of inquiry, including behavioral data on hummingbird color discrimination (36), models derived from electroretinography (60,61), microspectrophotometry (62), and genetic analyses (37) (see additional details in Materials and Methods). Nevertheless, a recent analysis failed to identify the sws1 visual pigment opsin gene (associated with the UVS/VS cone type) in the genomes of the Anna's hummingbird (Calypte anna) and the closely related chimney swift (Chaetura pelagica) (63).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 84%

“…Hummingbirds are presumed to have four color cone types. This inference comes from behavioral data on hummingbird color discrimination (36), models derived from electroretinography (60,61), microspectrophotometry (MSP) (62), and genetic analyses (37). For example, MSP of blue-throated hummingbirds (Lampornis clemenciae) revealed the presence of the five typical oil droplet types found in birds, including the transparent type usually found in the UVS/VS cone type (62).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Wild hummingbirds discriminate nonspectral colors

Stoddard

Eyster

Hogan

et al. 2020

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Many animals have the potential to discriminate nonspectral colors. For humans, purple is the clearest example of a nonspectral color. It is perceived when two color cone types in the retina (blue and red) with nonadjacent spectral sensitivity curves are predominantly stimulated. Purple is considered nonspectral because no monochromatic light (such as from a rainbow) can evoke this simultaneous stimulation. Except in primates and bees, few behavioral experiments have directly examined nonspectral color discrimination, and little is known about nonspectral color perception in animals with more than three types of color photoreceptors. Birds have four color cone types (compared to three in humans) and might perceive additional nonspectral colors such as UV+red and UV+green. Can birds discriminate nonspectral colors, and are these colors behaviorally and ecologically relevant? Here, using comprehensive behavioral experiments, we show that wild hummingbirds can discriminate a variety of nonspectral colors. We also show that hummingbirds, relative to humans, likely perceive a greater proportion of natural colors as nonspectral. Our analysis of plumage and plant spectra reveals many colors that would be perceived as nonspectral by birds but not by humans: Birds’ extra cone type allows them not just to see UV light but also to discriminate additional nonspectral colors. Our results support the idea that birds can distinguish colors throughout tetrachromatic color space and indicate that nonspectral color perception is vital for signaling and foraging. Since tetrachromacy appears to have evolved early in vertebrates, this capacity for rich nonspectral color perception is likely widespread.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 84%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wild hummingbirds discriminate nonspectral colors

Stoddard

Eyster

Hogan

et al. 2020

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Hallmarks of Consciousness

Butler

2012

Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology

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Consciousness, ranging from the primary, or perceptual, level to high levels that include a sense of self, can be identified in various organisms by a set of hallmarks that include behavioral, neural and phenomenal and/or informational. Behavioral hallmarks include those that indicate high cognitive abilities, such behavioral flexibility, verbal abilities, episodic memories, theory of mind, object constancy, transitive inference and multistability, all of which have been demonstrated in birds as well as in primates. Neural hallmarks include the thalamocortical model for mammals and similar circuitry in some nonmammalian taxa. Informational hallmarks include sensorimotor awareness, as provided by somatosensory and/or lateral line systems, which may form the basis for the sense of self and distinguishing self from nonself, as well as other sensory information, such as the richness and quantity of color and form information obtained by the visual system. The comparative method reveals a correlation of these different types of hallmarks with each other in their degree of development, which thus may be indicative of the level of consciousness present in a particular species.

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Do Hummingbirds See in Ultraviolet?

Cited by 2 publications

References 23 publications

Wild hummingbirds discriminate nonspectral colors

Wild hummingbirds discriminate nonspectral colors

Hallmarks of Consciousness

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