Publication Type: | Journal Article |
Year of Publication: | 1995 |
Authors: | Mundinger, PC |
Journal: | Animal Behaviour |
Volume: | 50 |
Issue: | 6 |
Date Published: | 1995 |
ISBN Number: | 0003-3472 |
Keywords: | Fringillidae, Serinus, Serinus canaria |
Abstract: | The relation between genes and canary song learning preferences was analysed with two experiments. A breeding experiment used inbred canaries, Serinus canaria, reared in isolation from adult songs to uncover differences in the song learning of Roller canaries, Border canaries and their hybrid. Given a choice of a Roller and a Border canary tutor song, all Rollers selectively learned from the Roller song, all Borders learned only from the Border song, but the hybrids learned from both tutor songs. A pair of social experiments confirmed these strain-typical learning preferences in conditions permitting social interaction and some cross-fostering. Cross-fostering showed that early experience with an alien-strain female parent does not noticeably affect the development of canary song learning preferences, and that neither strain is totally incapable of hearing and learning from songs of the other strain. The study provides empirical evidence for canary epigenetic rules, which are postulated gene-inherited mechanisms that guide cultural transmission. Some epigenetic rules for canary song learning are described. |
URL: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0003347295800069 |
Short Title: | Animal Behaviour |
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