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some_thoughts_about_animal_learning_and_imprinting [2025/11/07 13:23] – administratorsome_thoughts_about_animal_learning_and_imprinting [2026/02/24 14:51] (current) – administrator
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-====== Some Thoughts About Animal Learning And Imprinting ======+====== Some Thoughts about Animal Learning and Imprinting ======
  
 ===== Introduction ===== ===== Introduction =====
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 {{ :2016-11-08_1979.jpeg?200|}}Imprinting of rescue bird is an often hotly debated topic amongst bird lovers, wildlife rehabilitators and rescuers, where voiced opinions range considerably. One extreme approach to this topic suggests that imprinted birds are principally unreleasable, and that once a bird is imprinted that this situation cannot be reversed. The other extreme opinion considers all imprinted birds as releasable and implies that these birds have similar survival chances in the wild compared to birds who have not been imprinted. However, own experiences and those of fellow rehabbers have shown that, and this should actually not be unexpected, the truth lies neither in the middle nor is it to find in one or the other extreme. To find an answer, it seems worth to explore some basic underlying processes, like imprinting, learning, conditioning and habituation. {{ :2016-11-08_1979.jpeg?200|}}Imprinting of rescue bird is an often hotly debated topic amongst bird lovers, wildlife rehabilitators and rescuers, where voiced opinions range considerably. One extreme approach to this topic suggests that imprinted birds are principally unreleasable, and that once a bird is imprinted that this situation cannot be reversed. The other extreme opinion considers all imprinted birds as releasable and implies that these birds have similar survival chances in the wild compared to birds who have not been imprinted. However, own experiences and those of fellow rehabbers have shown that, and this should actually not be unexpected, the truth lies neither in the middle nor is it to find in one or the other extreme. To find an answer, it seems worth to explore some basic underlying processes, like imprinting, learning, conditioning and habituation.
  
-===== What Is Learning? =====+===== What is Learning? =====
  
 Learning is the alternation of behaviour as a result of an individual experience. Scientists have discovered several types of learning, like simple non associative learning, associative learning or conditioning, spatial learning, perceptual learning and complex problem solving. Imprinting is seen as any kind of learning occurring at a particular age or a particular life stage that is rapid and apparently independent of the consequences of behaviour. Learning is the alternation of behaviour as a result of an individual experience. Scientists have discovered several types of learning, like simple non associative learning, associative learning or conditioning, spatial learning, perceptual learning and complex problem solving. Imprinting is seen as any kind of learning occurring at a particular age or a particular life stage that is rapid and apparently independent of the consequences of behaviour.
  
-===== Precocial Species And Filial Imprinting =====+===== Precocial Species and Filial Imprinting =====
  
 Precocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. The phenomenon of filial imprinting ensures that, in normal circumstances, the precocial infant forms an attachment to its mother and never moves too far away. ((Nicholas John Mackintosh, Animal learning, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Encyclopaedia Britannica Inc., 17 November 2015, www.britannica.com/topic/animal-learning/Imprinting, 12 January 2018.)) Precocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. The phenomenon of filial imprinting ensures that, in normal circumstances, the precocial infant forms an attachment to its mother and never moves too far away. ((Nicholas John Mackintosh, Animal learning, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Encyclopaedia Britannica Inc., 17 November 2015, www.britannica.com/topic/animal-learning/Imprinting, 12 January 2018.))
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 Imprinting, so it has been suggested, was different from most forms of learning. It appeared irreversible and confined to a critical period, and seemed not to require reinforcement or a reward. However, later research suggested that imprinting may in fact be reversible and may also extend beyond the critical period originally identified by Lorenz and Hess. ((Cathy Faye, Time Capsule, Lessons from bird brains, Eckhard Hess’s research on imprinting helped to popularize an emerging field of research—one that that explored genetic and learned aspects of early behavior. December 2011, vol 42, no. 11, page 30.))  Imprinting, so it has been suggested, was different from most forms of learning. It appeared irreversible and confined to a critical period, and seemed not to require reinforcement or a reward. However, later research suggested that imprinting may in fact be reversible and may also extend beyond the critical period originally identified by Lorenz and Hess. ((Cathy Faye, Time Capsule, Lessons from bird brains, Eckhard Hess’s research on imprinting helped to popularize an emerging field of research—one that that explored genetic and learned aspects of early behavior. December 2011, vol 42, no. 11, page 30.)) 
  
-===== Altricial Species And Imprinting =====+===== Altricial Species and Imprinting =====
  
 Altricial young are born helpless and require care for a specific amount of time. Among birds, these include herons, hawks, woodpeckers, owls, cuckoos and most passerines including corvids. Altricial species differ from precocial species in that they lack this immediate filial imprinting. Since altricial birds hatch blind, their only immediate sensory input for possible imprinting is aural or tactile. ((Dan Gleason, Dan Gleason’s Blog, Imprinting in birds, 2010, www.dangleason.wordpress.com/avian-biology/172-2/, 12 January 2018.)) Altricial young are born helpless and require care for a specific amount of time. Among birds, these include herons, hawks, woodpeckers, owls, cuckoos and most passerines including corvids. Altricial species differ from precocial species in that they lack this immediate filial imprinting. Since altricial birds hatch blind, their only immediate sensory input for possible imprinting is aural or tactile. ((Dan Gleason, Dan Gleason’s Blog, Imprinting in birds, 2010, www.dangleason.wordpress.com/avian-biology/172-2/, 12 January 2018.))
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 As all corvideae species are altricial, filial imprinting does not play a significant role, because these birds hatch with closed eyes, which they usually open at around ten days of age.  However,  when birds are raised by their own, without companions of their own kind, and humans are the only role model and source of food and protection, then these hand raised birds will imprint on the human for species recognition and partner choice when maturing. Aural imprinting seems to be also a special case of perceptional or observational learning, where young birds are acquiring their species-typical song and vocalisations. Songbirds for example learn to vocalise within the first eight weeks of their lives, which is a crucial development step for their future. As all corvideae species are altricial, filial imprinting does not play a significant role, because these birds hatch with closed eyes, which they usually open at around ten days of age.  However,  when birds are raised by their own, without companions of their own kind, and humans are the only role model and source of food and protection, then these hand raised birds will imprint on the human for species recognition and partner choice when maturing. Aural imprinting seems to be also a special case of perceptional or observational learning, where young birds are acquiring their species-typical song and vocalisations. Songbirds for example learn to vocalise within the first eight weeks of their lives, which is a crucial development step for their future.
  
-===== What Is Habituation? =====+===== What is Habituation? =====
  
 Habituation is a form of non-associative learning, in which an animal, after a period of exposure to a stimulus, stops responding. Habituation usually refers to a reduction in innate behaviours, rather than behaviours acquired during conditioning. The habituation process is a form of adaptive behaviour or neuroplasticity. It can occur at different levels in the nervous system, as for example the sensory systems may stop, after a while, sending signals to the brain in response to a continuously present or often-repeated stimulus. ((Cohen TE, Kaplan SW, Kandel ER, Hawkins RD 1997 A simplified preparation for relating cellular events to behavior: Mechanisms contributing to habituation, dishabituation, and sensitization of the Aplysia gill-withdrawal reflex, Journal of Neuroscience 17 (8): 2886-2899.)) Habituation is a form of non-associative learning, in which an animal, after a period of exposure to a stimulus, stops responding. Habituation usually refers to a reduction in innate behaviours, rather than behaviours acquired during conditioning. The habituation process is a form of adaptive behaviour or neuroplasticity. It can occur at different levels in the nervous system, as for example the sensory systems may stop, after a while, sending signals to the brain in response to a continuously present or often-repeated stimulus. ((Cohen TE, Kaplan SW, Kandel ER, Hawkins RD 1997 A simplified preparation for relating cellular events to behavior: Mechanisms contributing to habituation, dishabituation, and sensitization of the Aplysia gill-withdrawal reflex, Journal of Neuroscience 17 (8): 2886-2899.))
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