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Flocking of Domestic Chicks

Abstract

NEWLY hatched nidifugous birds do not behave as if they recognized their own kind as such. On the contrary, they react in the same way to a very wide range of stimulus objects by approaching them and by giving ‘pleasure’ notes when near them. Thus the birds become attached to the stimulus objects. Such imprinting normally occurs to parents or parent-substitutes. However, Collias1 suggested that simultaneous imprinting to siblings could account for the socialization of young birds. This suggestion was also made later by Weidmann2 and by Gray3, and has been implied by other students of imprinting.

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References

  1. Collias, N. E., Auk, 69, 127 (1952).

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  2. Weidmann, U., Z. Tierpsychol., 15, 277 (1958).

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  3. Gray, P. H., J. Psychol., 46, 155 (1958).

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  4. Sluckin, W., and Taylor, K. F., Brit. J. Psychol. (in the press).

  5. James, H., and Binks, C., Science, 139, 1293 (1963).

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TAYLOR, K., SLUCKIN, W. Flocking of Domestic Chicks. Nature 201, 108–109 (1964). https://doi.org/10.1038/201108a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/201108a0

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