BRAIN STEM STIMULATION AND ETHOLOGICAL STUDIES ON BIRDS.
Abstract
This research was conducted to provide detailed descriptions of the birds' behavior and to analyse in greater detail the motivation of various behavioral systems, in order to provide a descriptive and motivational basis by which the behavior of birds in the wild may be compared with that obtained by stimulation techniques. A number of behavioral systems - territorial behavior, pair-bond formation and maintenance, copulation, nest-building, incubation, grooming the body surface and bathing were examined. Preliminary analysis suggests that care of the body surface is motivated by two, probably independent, systems: preening and 'comfort'. It has been shown that preening is controlled by a combination of postural facilitation and local external stimulation. Some interesting differences have been demonstrated between the preening behavior of 'normal' and incubating birds, and these seem to conflict with van Iersel and Bol's hypothesis of the motivation of so-called 'displacement' activities. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 31, 1963
- Accession Number
- AD0430662
Entities
People
- D. M. Vowles
- J. D. Delius
- N. Tinbergen
Organizations
- University of Oxford