Fowl behavior varies according to stimuli

UN/DICYT  Analysis performed on sexual behavior of quails showed that eliminating the stimuli, contrary of what was expected, increased the behavior. The research analyzed conduct learning using exercises which link stimuli to responses (just as human beings understand that turning a key opens a door), and emphasizing of the effects produced when stimuli are suspended.

Therefore UNal-Bogotá Professor Germán Gutiérrez worked with a Japanese species of these birds as they offer a good model to identify learning mechanisms; furthermore there constantly reproduce and are easy to take care of in the laboratory.

The researcher made a dummy cloth female quail which was showed to the male before their accustomed mating ritual. The result of the test was that the male learned to recognized the object and began to show responses which only appeared with the real females.

“However, contrary of what was expected when the stimuli was eliminated or not linked to a real quail, the behavior does not disappear but increased, a phenomenon which is interesting because it describes a series of unexpected results which contribute to behavioral research for other bird species”, said Gutiérrez.

Professor Gutiérrez also said the acquisition and termination of a stimulus may be to understand why phenomena which seemingly should have the opposite effect tend to increase towards the future.

“Moreover, researchers also noticed that quail and other species’ sexual behavior decrease according to the amount of light in the environment. Therefore with less light exposure the amount of testosterone is reduced in just a few weeks thus diminishing the reproductive behavior of the animal,” added Gutiérrez.

These findings contribute to behavioral studies in other species, although they are also input for research in other fields focused on fetishism areas and learning processes regarding diminishing certain behaviors without need to draw on punishment or forceful measures, but rather using eliminating strategies.

The processes were carried out at the UNal- Bogotá Animal Learning and Behavior laboratory.