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No response to linear polarization cues in operant conditioning experiments with zebra finches.

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Author

Summary, in English

Many animals can use the polarization of light in various behavioural contexts. Birds are well known to use information from the skylight polarization pattern for orientation and compass calibration. Still, there are few controlled studies of polarization vision in birds, and the majority of them have not been successful in convincingly demonstrating polarization vision. We used a two-alternative forced choice conditioning approach to assess linear polarization vision in male zebra finches in the "visible" spectral range (wavelengths>400 nm). The birds were trained to discriminate colour, brightness, and polarization stimuli presented on either one of two LCD-screens. All birds were able to discriminate the colour and brightness stimuli, but they were unable to discriminate the polarization stimuli. Our results suggest that in the behavioural context studied here, zebra finches are not able to discriminate polarized light stimuli.

Publishing year

2015

Language

English

Pages

2049-2054

Publication/Series

Journal of Experimental Biology

Volume

218

Issue

13

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

The Company of Biologists Ltd

Topic

  • Developmental Biology

Status

Published

Research group

  • Lund Vision Group
  • Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1477-9145