how is it that Brood Parasitic fledglings come to recognize it’s own species instead of whatever bird hatched and raised it? Wouldn’t it learn its surrogate parent’s calls and songs?

Question

how is it that Brood Parasitic fledglings come to recognize it’s own species instead of whatever bird hatched and raised it? Wouldn’t it learn its surrogate parent’s calls and songs?

In: 6

Answer 1

If you’re thinking about imprinting, only some species imprint on their mothers as a way of knowing who their peers are and who are different species. The rest, cuckoos included, just have it genetically hardwired. I’m pretty sure imprinting is more common in social birds, for whom sticking around others of the same species is much more important.