Ultraviolet vision and foraging in dip and plunge diving birds

Abstract

Many fishes are sensitive to ultraviolet (UV) light and display UV markings during courtship. As UV scatters more than longer wavelengths of light, these signals are only effective at short distances, reducing the risk of detection by swimming predators. Such underwater scattering will be insignificant for dip and plunge diving birds, which prey on fishes just below the water surface. One could therefore expect to find adaptations in the eyes of dip and plunge diving birds that tune colour reception to UV signals. We used a molecular method to survey the colour vision tuning of five families of dip or plunge divers and compared the results with those from sister taxa of other foraging methods. We found evidence of extended UV vision only in gulls (Laridae). Based on available evidence, it is more probable that this trait is associated with their terrestrial foraging habits rather than piscivory.