Why do we see as we do? Dogs and horses get by in a black and white world. Color images do not seem to serve the interests of either predator or prey. Perhaps color would be a distraction where the senses of smell and hearing have great importance.
For birds, the selective advantage of color seems to outweigh the risks. The color sensitivity of the human eye seems not to be an evolutionary response aimed at reproductive advantage; we are, after all, a rather drab species. Perhaps it is that we are fundamentally omnivores with a need to discern many subtle differences in which color is one important component.
I think some insects and birds may respond to light polarization. Are there creatures that would perceive my house as my camera does when equipped with an infrared filter?
View an IR slide show