Effects of Early Experience and Male Activity On Mate Choice in Mallard Females (Anas Platyrhynchos)
TL;DR: It is concluded that early experience influenced the sexual preference of females and that they respond to activity differences of males as well as the significance of social displays of males for pair-formation.
Abstract: The sexual preference of mallard females exposed in early life to individuals of either a white or a wild strain was examined in tests in which an individual female was separated by wire from two males, one on either side of the cage. One male was of the same strain as that with which the female was reared (RS male), the second of the other type (NRS male). Inciting to a male by a female was used as the main measure of her preference; inciting to one male was positively correlated with overt aggression directed to the other male. Most females showed a preference for RS males; though this was more often the case with females reared socially with conspecifics than with those which had visual and acoustical contacts only in their early life. Females also tended to prefer the male most interested in her, as expressed by the male's approach, following and staying near. No evidence was obtained that females preferred males belonging to her own strain. Contrary to earlier views it is concluded that early experience influenced the sexual preference of females and that they respond to activity differences of males. Females showed no indications of being able to recognize and respond to the normal nuptial plumage of males independently of such experience. Implications of our findings for pair-formation in nature and the significance of social displays of males for pair-formation are discussed.
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TL;DR: Evidence is presented showing that filial preferences are formed not only as a result of learning through exposure to an object, but also under the influence of visual and auditory predispositions.
Abstract: Filial imprinting is the process through which early social preferences become restricted to a particular object or class of objects. Evidence is presented showing that filial preferences are formed not only as a result of learning through exposure to an object, but also under the influence of visual and auditory predispositions. The development of these predispositions is dependent upon certain non-specific experience. There is little evidence for an endogenously affected sensitive period for imprinting. It is more likely that the end of sensitivity is a result of the imprinting process itself. Similarly, it is now firmly established that filial and sexual preferences are reversible. Evidence suggests, however, that the first stimulus to which the young animal is exposed may exert a greater influence on filial preferences than subsequent stimuli. The learning process of imprinting is often regarded as being different from conventional associative learning. However, the imprinting object itself can function as a reinforcer. Recent studies have attempted to test predictions from an interpretation of filial imprinting as a form of associative learning. The first results suggest that 'blocking' may occur in imprinting, whilst there is no evidence for 'overshadowing'. Social interactions with siblings and parent(-surrogates) have been shown to affect the formation of filial and sexual preferences. The influence of these interactions is particularly prominent in sexual imprinting, making earlier claims about naive species-specific biases unlikely. Although auditory stimuli play an important role in the formation of social attachments, there is little evidence for auditory imprinting per se. Auditory preferences formed as a result of mere (pre- or postnatal) exposure are relatively weak and short-lasting. Exposure to visual stimuli during auditory training significantly improves auditory learning, possibly through a process of reinforcement. It is becoming increasingly clear that filial and sexual imprinting are two different (although perhaps analogous) processes. Different mechanisms are likely to underlie the two processes, although there is evidence to suggest that the same brain region is involved in recognition of familiar stimuli in both filial and sexual imprinting. There is little evidence for a direct role of hormones in the learning process of imprinting. Androgen metabolism may be a factor constraining the development of a predisposition in the chick. Research into the neural mechanism of filial imprinting in the chick has revealed that a restricted part of the forebrain (IMHV) is likely to be a site of memory storage.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
357 citations
TL;DR: It is suggested that while the origins of learning appear to lie in the advantages of individual recognition, sexual imprinting results from selection for recognition of conspecifics, because efficient early learning about one’s own species is favoured in the presence of heterospecificS.
Abstract: Learned mate preferences may play an important role in speciation. Sexual imprinting is a process whereby mate preferences are affected by learning at a very young age, usually using a parent as the model. We suggest that while the origins of learning appear to lie in the advantages of individual recognition, sexual imprinting results from selection for recognition of conspecifics. This is because efficient early learning about one’s own species is favoured in the presence of heterospecifics. If different species are hybridizing, both sexual imprinting and learning to avoid heterospecifics during adulthood promote assortative mating and hence speciation. As a result of sexual imprinting, speciation may also be completed in allopatry when divergence between populations is sufficient to prevent interbreeding when the populations reunite, even in the absence of genetic evolution of mate preference. The role of behaviour and learning in completing the speciation process is relatively overlooked. In particular the evolution of sexual imprinting as a result of selection against hybridization warrants more study.
320 citations
Cites background from "Effects of Early Experience and Mal..."
...Assortative mating in snow geese (Cooke & McNally, 1976) and mate choice in pigeons (Warriner et al., 1963) and mallard ducks (Lorenz, 1937; Kruijt et al., 1982) are a ected by colour of the rearing strain....
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260 citations
TL;DR: An alternative approach, based on Daniel Lehrman's interactionist theory of development, permits a more thorough appreciation of the problems that have yet to be addressed, and provides a more secure conceptual foundation for theories of song development.
Abstract: Despite several decades of criticism, dichotomous thinking about behavioral development (the view that the behavioral phenotype can be partitioned into inherited and acquired components) remains widespread and influential. This is particularly true in study of birdsong development, where it has become increasingly common to diagnose songs, elements of songs, or precursors of songs (song templates) as either innate or learned on the basis of isolation-rearing experiments. The theory of sensory templates has encouraged both the dichotomous approach (by providing a role for genetic blueprints to guide song learning) and an emphasis on structural rather than functional aspects of song development. As a result, potentially important lines of investigation have been overlooked and the interpretation of existing data is often flawed. Evidence for a genetic origin of behavioral differences is frequently interpreted as evidence for the genetic determination of behavioral characters. The technique of isolation rearing remains the
methodology of choice for many investigators, despite the fact that it offers only a rather crude analysis of the contribution of experience to song development and provides no information at all about genetic contributions to development. The latter could in principle be elucidated by the application of developmental-genetic techniques, but it is unlikely that these can easily be applied to the study of birdsong. Because developmental questions are so often posed in terms of the learned—innate dichotomy, "experience"istaken to be synonymous with "learning" and the possible role of nonobvious contributions to song development has largely been ignored. An alternative approach, based on Daniel Lehrman's interactionist theory of development, permits a more thorough appreciation of the problems that have yet to be addressed, and provides a more secure conceptual foundation for theories of song development.
145 citations
TL;DR: The ability for adult vocal plasticity in both males and females may reflect the variety of possible social situations in this species.
Abstract: The social organization of captive groups of adult male and female starlings caught in different localities was studied to understand the possible social basis of song sharing. In the nonbreeding season, the social organization was based on within-sex groups or pairs and a few intersexual pairs. The pattern of song sharing clearly reflected the social organization. Members of the social pairs of females shared most of their songs, whereas males shared songs with other males to an extent that depended on their degree of social association. Song sharing was mostly restricted to birds of the same sex. The ability for adult vocal plasticity in both males and females may reflect the variety of possible social situations in this species.
129 citations
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss the relationship between sexual pragung and stockenten, i.e., Paarbildung and Paarverhalten, and find the entscheidenden Eindrucke statt.
Abstract: Inhalt: I. Zur Klarung des Begriffs S. 50. — II. Was ist bis jetzt uber Sexualpragung bekannt? S. 53. — III. Methode S. 54. — IV. Paarbildung und Paarverhalten, besonders bei der Stockente S. 57. — V. Pragungsversuche mit Stockenten — ♂♂, Kontrollen S. 58, Erorterung S. 59. — VI. Pragungsversuche mit Stockenten — ♀♀ S. 61. — VII. Pragung durch Mutter und Geschwister S. 63. — VIII. Wann finden die entscheidenden Eindrucke statt? S. 64. — IX. Wie lange bleibt die Pragung erhalten? S. 67. — X. Pragung von Stockerpeln auf verschiedene Pragungsobjekte S. 71, 1. Pragung auf Anatiden S. 72, 2. Unterschiedliche Pragbarkeit auf verschiedene Anatiden S. 72, 3. Pragung auf Huhner und Blashuhner S. 76. — XI. Die Pragbarkeit verschiedener Anatiden und anderer Vogel auf Stockenten S. 79, 1. Die Pragbarkeit von Huhnern und Blashuhnern S. 79, 2. Die Pragbarkeit verschiedener Anatiden S. 81. - XII. Gepragtes und Angeborenes S. 83, Erorterung S. 91. — XIII. Ist Pragung Lernen, Gewohnung oder tatsachlich fruhe Fixierung? S. 92. — XIV. Zur Bedeutung der sexuellen Pragung und ihr Vorkommen in der freien Natur S. 94. — Zusammenfassung S. 98. - Summary S. 100. - Literaturverzeichnis S. 102.
154 citations
74 citations
TL;DR: It is concluded that directed male activity is a more important factor for female mate acceptance than male plumage colouration.
Abstract: This paper examines pair formation in wild and domesticated white mallard females in relation to differences in male courtship pressure. By rearing males of both strains with wild or white females, adult females of each strain could be confronted with courting males of the own or opposite strain. As almost all females paired with males courting them most intensively, regardless the colour type of the males, it is concluded that directed male activity is a more important factor for female mate acceptance than male plumage colouration. The implications of this finding for the interpretation of previous work on factors involved in mate selection by mallard females (SCHUTZ, 1965; KLINT, 1973, 1975, 1978 and 1980) are discussed.
35 citations
TL;DR: The females were able to discriminate between normal mallards and differently coloured mallards to a large extent irrespective of their own early experience, suggesting that the females' initial mate selection is dependent on male plumage characteristics.
32 citations
TL;DR: In mallards the likely period of social attachment is from hatching until the broods disperse, and the potential imprinting objects are mother and siblings.
Abstract: Social attachment seems necessary for sexual imprinting. In mallards the likely period of social attachment is from hatching until the broods disperse. The potential imprinting objects are mother and siblings. Four combinations of mother-sibling groups of same and different colour were used (N = 131). The groups were kept together from hatching until the young were 12 weeks old. When sexually mature, the birds' choices of mate were recorded. Colouration is an important cue in mate selection. Both mother and siblings are of importance. The effect of experimental factors cannot be attributed to any particular sex.
23 citations