Significance of Mother and Sibling Experience for Mating Preferences in the Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

Abstract

Social attachment seems necessary for sexual imprinting. In mallards the likely period of social attachment is from hatching until the broods disperse. The potential imprinting objects are mother and siblings. Four combinations of mother-sibling groups of same and different colour were used (N = 131). The groups were kept together from hatching until the young were 12 weeks old. When sexually mature, the birds' choices of mate were recorded. Colouration is an important cue in mate selection. Both mother and siblings are of importance. The effect of experimental factors cannot be attributed to any particular sex.