RECOGNITION OF MATERNAL CALLS BY PARENTALLY NAIVE GALLUS-GALLUS CHICKS

The ability to respond promptly to a stimulus presented for the first time is a valuable asset for a precocial organism. Although the responses they give do not correspond perfectly with those elicited in the wild, parentally naive red jungle fowl chicks are able to discriminate between maternal feeding and distress calls. Discrimination is observable on the basis of differential vocalization and gross movement patterns. The feeding call elicits cessation of calling and locomotion, whereas the distress call promotes sustained vocalization and an increased amount of locomotor activity. Expression of the complete response to each call probably depends upon presence of appropriate visual and auditory stimuli. Comparison of responses given by feeding call-trained chicks and distress call-trained chicks indicates that vocal responding is probably affected by training experience. Orientation of the chick with respect to the position of the sound source is not consistent under either of the stimulus conditions. © 1969.