Recognition of Parents&#039; Voices by Young Cliff Swallows

Publication Type:	Journal Article
Year of Publication:	1985
Authors:	Beecher, MD, Stoddard, PK, Loesche, P
Journal:	The Auk
Volume:	102
Issue:	3
Date Published:	1985
ISBN Number:	00048038
Keywords:	Hirundinidae, Hirundo, Hirundo pyrrhonota, Hirundo rustica, Petrochelidon, Petrochelidon albifrons, Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
Abstract:	Cliff Swallow (Hirundo pyrrhonota) chicks were played calls of parents and unrelated (control) adults at 9 and 18 days of age. Younger chicks showed no difference in the frequency of their antiphonal begging calls to parental vs. control calls. The older, near-fledging chicks, however, responded significantly more to parental calls than to control calls: 78% of their total antiphonal calls were in response to parental playback calls. In these older chicks, the degree of preference correlated with the measured acoustic differences between the parent and control calls. The results indicate that Cliff Swallow chicks are able to recognize their parents by voice before they leave the nest. Offspring recognition of parents is discussed as it relates to the evolution of parent-offspring recognition systems in general.
URL:	http://www.jstor.org/stable/4086653
Short Title:	The Auk

Taxonomic name:

AVIS-IBIS