Avian prenatal auditory stimulation: progress and perspectives

• Published in: Behavioral ecology and sociobiology Vol. 72; no. 7; pp. 1 - 14
• Main Authors: Rivera, Moises, Louder, Matthew I. M., Kleindorfer, Sonia, Liu, Wan-chun, Hauber, Mark E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer 01.07.2018; Springer Berlin Heidelberg; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acoustics; Animal behavior; Animal Ecology; Auditory perception; Behavioral Sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Birds; Embryogenesis; Embryos; Life Sciences; Ontogeny; REVIEW; Social behavior; Stimulation; Zoology; Bioacoustics; Prenatal stimulation; Embryonic learning; Species recognition
• ISSN: 0340-5443; 1432-0762
• DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2528-0

Prenatal auditory stimulation is known to critically affect the development of acoustic preference and species recognition throughout ontogeny in birds. We focus our review on experimental studies that have used birds as model systems to explore the effects of prenatal auditory stimulation on the developing organism. To begin, we introduce concepts and terms of embryonic stages and learning and review the development of auditory perception and responsivity to acoustic stimulation in avian embryos. We then analyze studies that provide specific details of the effects of prenatal acoustic stimulation on the behavior, social preferences, and vocal production of both pre- and postnatal birds and discuss nuanced effects of the social and perceptual environment to which embryos may be exposed. We conclude that acoustic stimulation of avian embryos is a viable and critical model for future studies on the role of early experiences on the development of neural substrates and the resulting social affiliation patterns.