Neuroethology



If a young zebra finch is reared by bengalese finches and isolated thereafter until day 100, a short exposure to a bengalese finch female leads to an exclusive preference for bengalese females in the case of choice. If birds reared identically are exposed at day 100 to a zebrafinch, about 30 percent exhibit a zebra finch preference, which is not alterable thereafter.

				The preference for the rearing species is thus stabilized if the first exposure of a male is to the same species, and it can be altered if it is exposed to another one. Recent experiments show that stabilisation is possible only until 150 days of age. Birds isolated for a longer time do not develop stable preferences.