In these studies, descriptive information on the diet and feeding behavior of ring dove squab is considered in the context of an analysis of the mechanisms underlying the development of eating. Experiment I shows that squab begin to peck at grain around Day 13 and both the rate and efficiency of pecking increase through Day 21 when the squab are weaned. Experiment II shows that squab reared without seed in their home cage do not develop normal levels of pecking unless exposure to seed is followed in close temporal proximity by interaction with parents. It is concluded that an association between some aspect of squab's interaction with seed and a parentally provided unconditioned stimulus is sufficient for normal pecking to develop. The nature of these associations and their contribution to the ontogeny of independent feeding are discussed.

This series of experiments analyzes the role of learning in the development of pecking in ring dove squab. Experiment 1 showed that there is a high probability that parents will feed squab after a period of separation (Experiment 1). Such feedings may have been essential for producing the previous observation (Graf, Balsam, & Silver, 1985) that pecking develops normally if squab which have been separated from their parents are given a daily 20-min interaction with seed followed by an immediate return to their parents. Experiment 2 showed that exposure to seed followed by experimenter-provided feedings were sufficient for inducing adult pecking levels. Experiment 3 showed that general experience with conspecifics was not necessary for the development of pecking and that maturation alone could not account for the pecking observed in previous experiments. Experiment 4 showed that Pavlovian contingencies consisting of visual exposure to seed followed by feeding was sufficient to induce high levels of pecking. There did not appear to be an additional contribution of an operant contingency present when squab were allowed to both see and peck at seed prior to feedings in Experiment 5. However, squab must actually be given experience in handling and ingesting seeds before adult levels of pecking can be obtained. These results are discussed in terms of the developmental pathways whereby experience leads to adult behavior.