Auditory stimuli imprinting.

Abstract

Findings interpreted to support auditory stimuli in imprinting as attention getting in ground-nesting species allow the alternative explanation that sound contributes to model recognition. One hundred two 24-hr. chicks were imprinted to a vocal model, then retested at 36 hr. to same or different model paired with same, different, or no sound. Following the parent model on retest was not significantly greater than following a strange model. Parent sound, however, produced more following than a different but familiar sound, which evoked more following than no sound at all. Results support at least 2 roles of the auditory stimulus in imprinting. One is clearly a basis for recognition. Another, stemming from the presence of sound per se, may be arousal.