Lovebird Behavior: Nature or Nurture? [Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted)]

Published: December 6, 2007, 10:59 am

tags: evolutionary behavior, sociobiology, ornithology, birds, avian, evolution, William Dilger, Agapornis rosecollis, Agapornis personata fischeri, lovebirds Peach-faced lovebirds, Agapornis rosecollis (left) and Fischer's lovebirds, Agapornis personata fischeri (right), can interbreed to produce sterile offspring. Images: LoveBirds New Zealand. Is behavior genetically "programmed" or is it the result of learning? Or is it instead a little bit of both? This is the old "nature versus nurture" argument that has occupied behavioral and evolutionary scientists, psychologists and even the general public for decades. Interestingly, nearly 50 years ago, a series of elegant experiments by an ornithologist and aviculturist revealed that, in lovebirds, at least, nest-building behavior has a very strong genetic component combined with surprisingly little experiential modification. Read the rest of this post... Read the comments on this post...

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