Auditory preference for conspecific song in isolation-reared zebra finches

Seven female and six male zebra finches, Taeniopygia guttata, were reared in acoustic isolation from song and tested for their preference for conspecific song when 28-53 days old by allowing them to select exposure to zebra finch or European starling, Sturnus vulgaris, song. The birds hopped more frequently on a perch that generated zebra finch song than one that produced starling song, and they spent more time listening to zebra finch song. There were no sex differences. The results indicate that during their sensitive period for song learning, and prior to experience with song, zebra finches prefer conspecific song to heterospecific song. (C) 1999 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.