Sexual imprinting misguides species recognition in a facultative interspecific brood parasite

Abstract

Sexual reproduction relies on the recognition of conspecifics for breeding. Most experiments in birds have implicated a critical role for early social learning in directing subsequent courtship behaviours and mating decisions. This classical view of avian sexual imprinting is challenged, however, by studies of megapodes and obligate brood parasites, species in which reliable recognition is achieved despite the lack of early experience with conspecifics. By rearing males with either conspecific or heterospecific brood mates, we experimentally tested the effect of early social experience on the association preferences and courtship behaviours of two sympatrically breeding ducks. We predicted that redheads (Aythya americana), which are facultative interspecific brood parasites, would show a diminished effect of early social environment on subsequent courtship preferences when compared with their host and congener, the canvasback (Aythya valisineria). Contrary to expectations, cross-fostered males of both species courted heterospecific females and preferred them in spatial association tests, whereas control males courted and associated with conspecific females. These results imply that ontogenetic constraints on species recognition may be a general impediment to the initial evolution of interspecific brood parasitism in birds. Under more natural conditions, a variety of mechanisms may mitigate or counteract the effects of early imprinting for redheads reared in canvasback broods.

Biased learning affects mate choice in a butterfly

“…Although biases in mate-preference learning have not yet been reported in species outside of B. anynana, they may have been overlooked because of the long training periods used in other mate-preference learning studies (13,14,(47)(48)(49). Song-learning biases are especially apparent in laboratory studies when training periods or event number are reduced (reviewed in ref.…”

Social Interactions between Adult and Juvenile Striped Cuckoos (Tapera naevia)

“…Despite a long history of research on brood parasitic cuckoos and their hosts, there is little documentation of social interactions between adults and juveniles (Friedmann 1968, Brooker and Brooker 1989, Soler and Soler 1999. However, such contact may be important to the development of social communication and sexual preferences in young cuckoos (Sorenson et al 2010, Gersick et al 2012. In Brown-headed Cowbirds, juvenile males model their courtship and communication behaviors on adult males with whom they have interacted (White et al 2007).…”

Rape and the Prevalence of Hybrids in Broadly Sympatric Species: a Case Study using Albatrosses

“…For example, Redheads (Aythya americana) are facultative brood parasites of Canvasbacks (Aythya valisineria), whereas canvasbacks do not parasitize redhead nests (Sorenson et al 2010). Redhead ducklings raised by Canvasback females in broods of mostly Canvasback ducklings should be sexually imprinted on Canvasbacks and, therefore, be more willing to pair or at least mate with Canvasbacks.…”

“…Redhead ducklings raised by Canvasback females in broods of mostly Canvasback ducklings should be sexually imprinted on Canvasbacks and, therefore, be more willing to pair or at least mate with Canvasbacks. Indeed, males of both species cross-fostered into broods predominated by the other species (without hens) preferentially courted heterospecific females (Sorenson et al 2010). An excess of adult males in both species predicts the siring bias: Female Redheads imprinted on Canvasbacks (Sorenson et al 2010), should be able to attract unmated male Canvasbacks as mates.…”