Nestling activity levels during begging behaviour predicts activity level and body mass in adulthood.

ABSTRACT: Across a range of species including humans, personality traits, or differences in behaviour between individuals that are consistent over time, have been demonstrated. However, few studies have measured whether these consistent differences are evident in very young animals, and whether they persist over an individual's entire lifespan. Here we investigated the begging behaviour of very young cross-fostered zebra finch nestlings and the relationship between that and adult activity levels. We found a link between the nestling activity behaviour head movements during begging, measured at just five and seven days after hatching, and adult activity levels, measured when individuals were between three and three and a half years old. Moreover, body mass was found to be negatively correlated with b

SUBMITTER: McCowan LS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4179387 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature