If anybody is able to distinguish at first sight a nestling bird or an infant mammal from an adult of the same species, it depends partly on our ability to recognize the distinctive cues associated to that species age class. This concept was described for the first time by the Nobel Prize Konrad Lorenz in 1943. In his paper he suggested that altricial broods, those fully dependent on parents for survival, of many endotherm species (mammals and birds) are equipped with some common features, particularly located in the head, forming what he named “baby schema”. Such a similarity is assumed to be indicative of an evolutionary convergent phenomenon between mammals and birds, allowing an infant to be recognized such not only by its parents, but by strange adults of its own or different species as well.

Infant signals and adopting behavior / Csermely, Davide. - (2007), pp. 197-201. [10.1336/0313334870]

Infant signals and adopting behavior

CSERMELY, Davide
2007-01-01

Abstract

If anybody is able to distinguish at first sight a nestling bird or an infant mammal from an adult of the same species, it depends partly on our ability to recognize the distinctive cues associated to that species age class. This concept was described for the first time by the Nobel Prize Konrad Lorenz in 1943. In his paper he suggested that altricial broods, those fully dependent on parents for survival, of many endotherm species (mammals and birds) are equipped with some common features, particularly located in the head, forming what he named “baby schema”. Such a similarity is assumed to be indicative of an evolutionary convergent phenomenon between mammals and birds, allowing an infant to be recognized such not only by its parents, but by strange adults of its own or different species as well.
2007
0313334870
Infant signals and adopting behavior / Csermely, Davide. - (2007), pp. 197-201. [10.1336/0313334870]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11381/2428659
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