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IMPRINTING IN AN ALTRICIAL BIRD: THE BLOND RING DOVE (STREPTOPELIA RISORIA).
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|October 9, 1964
Summary
Newborn ring doves imprinted best between 7-9 days old. This early imprinting influences mate choice, but can be reversed by later experiences, showing its flexibility in this species.
Area of Science:
- Ethology
- Animal Behavior
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Imprinting is a crucial early-life learning process in precocial birds.
- Understanding imprinting's critical period and reversibility is key to comprehending avian social development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the optimal age for imprinting in ring doves.
- To investigate the influence of early imprinting on adult mate selection.
- To assess the reversibility of imprinting in ring doves.
Main Methods:
- Newborn ring doves (4-14 days old) were hand-reared in isolation or group-housed post-weaning.
- Adult birds were tested in a free-choice paradigm between humans and conspecifics.
- Control groups experienced varied rearing conditions to assess imprinting effects.
Main Results:
- An optimal imprinting period was identified between 7 and 9 days of age.
- Early imprinting significantly influenced adult mate preference.
- Subsequent life experiences demonstrated a capacity to alter initial imprinting, indicating reversibility.
Conclusions:
- The critical period for imprinting in ring doves is relatively narrow (7-9 days).
- Imprinting is not a permanent process and can be modified by later social experiences.
- This species exhibits reversible imprinting, highlighting the dynamic nature of early social learning.
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