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Behavior of Birds Depends On Their Hatching Order

Posted by samzenpus on from the eldest-bird-of-an-eldest-bird dept.

An anonymous reader writes "A new study looks at the behavior of birds and found the hatching order of birds influences how they behave in adulthood. The study was conducted by Dr. Ian Hartley and Dr. Mark Mainwaring (LEC), researchers at the University of Lancaster Environment Center. The researchers noticed that the youngest members of the zebra finch broods were more adventurous than their older siblings in later life."

5 of 67 comments (clear)

  1. Anedotal evidence suggests same for humans... by Fusselwurm · · Score: 4, Interesting

    ... or is that just me and the people I know?

    1. Re:Anedotal evidence suggests same for humans... by dkleinsc · · Score: 4, Interesting

      That's been an open question in psychology for over a century. There's some evidence for it, and some against it, and nobody has any kind of conclusive proof one way or the other.

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      I am officially gone from /. Long live http://www.soylentnews.com/
    2. Re:Anedotal evidence suggests same for humans... by Intrepid+imaginaut · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Human intelligence does not negate our evolutionary origins.

      Oh, yes it does. We can fly higher, move faster, prolong our lives and do any number of things that our evolutionary origins would preclude. In fact we can do almost anything any animal can do, except better, and a great deal more besides, by using that intelligence. Intelligence is the ultimate evolutionary advantage, to the extent that it steps outside the commonly perceived framework of evolution and creates its own framework.

      That's not to say it's not evolution, rather that it's a different form of evolution, whereby capability is derived from generation upon generation of accumulated knowledge without changing the raw biological underpinnings much. This knowledge in turn informs behaviour, which is what we're talking about. We can learn a lot about animals by studying animals, but trying to then somehow lay this onto human behaviour patterns is an exercise in futility at best.

      Short version, instinct and intelligence are wildly different things, and humans are far more creatures of the latter than the former.

    3. Re:Anedotal evidence suggests same for humans... by Dr.+Evil · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Months of difference make a difference in sports and the classroom. Why shouldn't years of difference make a difference among siblings?

      http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2012/03/05/f-birth-month-sports-learning-health.html

      A 2011 study of B.C. students who entered kindergarten in 1995 found that compared to those born in January, kids with December birthdays were 12 to 15 per cent less likely to meet reading and numeracy standards in the elementary grades and 12 per cent less likely to graduate.

      In Britain, the school cutoff date is Aug. 31, which means kids learn with classmates born in September of the previous year. In a 2011 study, researchers at Britain’s Institute for Fiscal Studies reported that kids born in August have less confidence in their academic abilities and are less likely to attend top universities.

  2. Theft by Rik+Sweeney · · Score: 5, Funny

    I reckon scientists would see some really interesting behaviour if they got a bunch of pigs to steal the eggs before they hatch.

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