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Species-typical developmental outcomes result from organismic and environmental constraints and experiences shared by members of a species. We examined the effects of enhanced prenatal sensory experience on hatching behaviors by exposing domestic chicks (n = 95) and Japanese quail (n = 125) to one of four prenatal conditions: enhanced visual stimulation, enhanced auditory stimulation, enhanced auditory and visual stimulation, or no enhanced sensory experience (control condition). In general, across species, control embryos had slower hatching behaviors than all other embryos. Embryos in the auditory condition had faster hatching behaviors than embryos in the visual and control conditions. Auditory–visual condition embryos showed similarities to embryos exposed to either auditory or visual stimulation. These results suggest that prenatal sensory experience can influence hatching behavior of precocial birds, with the type of stimulation being a critical variable. These results also provide further evidence that species-typical outcomes are the result of species-typical prenatal experiences. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 56: 935–942, 2014.

Species-typical prenatal visual stimulation in avian species is a necessary component in the development of population level lateralized behaviors. This relationship suggests that species-typical developmental outcomes result from organismic and environmental constraints and experiences shared by members of a species. We examined the effects of prenatal visual experience on the development of turning bias and footedness in Japanese quail chicks, a species which does not demonstrate a naturally occurring level of population laterality and only weak individual laterality. Chicks (n=167) were exposed to one of four prenatal conditions: both eye systems exposed to enhanced visual experience, right eye system exposed/left eye system occluded, left eye system exposed/right eye system occluded, or no enhanced visual experience. When subjects were exposed to prenatal visual stimulation, individual and population level laterality was induced. These results suggest that unilateral prenatal visual experience to the right eye or left eye system is sufficient to induce and influence the direction of individual and population laterality in a species that does not normal demonstrate such biases. The results also provide further evidence that prenatal sensory experiences can elicit the development of postnatal lateralization.

The effects of asymmetrical hatching behaviors on the development of turning bias and footedness in domestic chicks, bobwhite quail, and Japanese quail chicks were examined. Control tests with incubator reared domestic chicks and bobwhite quail revealed significant individual and population left-side turning bias and right footedness. When late stage hatching behaviors were disrupted, population laterality was not evident and individual laterality was reduced. By contrast, Japanese quail chicks demonstrated no population turning bias or footedness and only weak individual biases. Disruption of hatch behaviors further decreased laterality. Examination of discarded eggshells showed significant differences in the degree of rotation made to cut out of the egg by Japanese quail versus domestic chicks and bobwhite quail. Taken together these findings suggest that the counterclockwise hatching behaviors that are characteristic of many precocial bird species serve to facilitate the development of motor laterality at both the individual and population level.

Lateralized motor behaviors have been reported in some avian species. For instance, footedness has been reported in parrots and domestic chicks, and turning biases have been reported in such species as quail and domestic chicks. This study examined the effects of asymmetrical hatching behaviors on the development of lateralized turning bias and footedness in domestic chicks. Asymmetrical hatching behaviors are counter-clockwise full body turns that many precocial birds make to escape the egg. To study the role of such coordinated prenatal motor behaviors in the development of lateralization, hatching behaviors were systematically disrupted following pipping. Subjects were subsequently tested on two measures of laterality: footedness and turning bias. Results indicated a significant reduction in individual and group lateralization for both measures. These findings suggest that the hatching behaviors found in domestic chicks serve to induce the development of strong motor biases at both the individual and population level. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 37: 13–24, 2000

Recent research supports a significant role for prenatal sensory experience in the development of lateralized postnatal visual discrimination in birds, but little is known about its potential effect on the development of lateralized postnatal motor behaviors. Therefore, the present study examined the effects of prenatal visual experience on the development of spatial turning bias in domestic chicks. Control tests with maternally naive, domestic chicks in a standard T maze revealed a left-side turning bias in 90% of subjects. Such large population biases are considered unusual in nonhuman species. Chicks were exposed to one of three prenatal conditions: both eye systems exposed to enhanced visual experience, right-eye system exposed/left-eye system occluded, or left-eye system exposed/right-eye system occluded. Results revealed a significant lack of population turning bias in all experimental subjects except those that received right eye stimulation prenatally. These results suggest that unilateral prenatal visual experience to the right eye/left hemisphere is a significant contributor to the lateralization process in domestic chicks.

This study examined the effects of prenatal sensory experience on the development of turning bias in a precocial avian species (bobwhite quail). Control tests with naive bobwhite quail chicks revealed a left-side turning bias in 85% of subjects. Such large population biases are considered unusual in nonhuman species. Experiments 1, 2, and 3 demonstrated that prenatal visual experience is a significant contributor to this population level left-side turning bias in bobwhite quail chicks. In contrast, prenatal auditory experience did not appear to significantly influence the development of postnatal turning bias. The findings of this study are discussed in terms of an epigenetic theory for the development of hemispheric specialization and behavioral asymmetry.

Species-typical developmental outcomes result from organismic and environmental constraints and experiences shared by members of a species. We examined the effects of enhanced prenatal sensory experience on hatching behaviors by exposing domestic chicks (n = 95) and Japanese quail (n = 125) to one of four prenatal conditions: enhanced visual stimulation, enhanced auditory stimulation, enhanced auditory and visual stimulation, or no enhanced sensory experience (control condition). In general, across species, control embryos had slower hatching behaviors than all other embryos. Embryos in the auditory condition had faster hatching behaviors than embryos in the visual and control conditions. Auditory-visual condition embryos showed similarities to embryos exposed to either auditory or visual stimulation. These results suggest that prenatal sensory experience can influence hatching behavior of precocial birds, with the type of stimulation being a critical variable. These results also provide further evidence that species-typical outcomes are the result of species-typical prenatal experiences.

Species-typical prenatal visual stimulation in avian species is a necessary component in the development of population level lateralized behaviors. This relationship suggests that species-typical developmental outcomes result from organismic and environmental constraints and experiences shared by members of a species. We examined the effects of prenatal visual experience on the development of turning bias and footedness in Japanese quail chicks, a species which does not demonstrate a naturally occurring level of population laterality and only weak individual laterality. Chicks (n=167) were exposed to one of four prenatal conditions: both eye systems exposed to enhanced visual experience, right eye system exposed/left eye system occluded, left eye system exposed/right eye system occluded, or no enhanced visual experience. When subjects were exposed to prenatal visual stimulation, individual and population level laterality was induced. These results suggest that unilateral prenatal visual experience to the right eye or left eye system is sufficient to induce and influence the direction of individual and population laterality in a species that does not normal demonstrate such biases. The results also provide further evidence that prenatal sensory experiences can elicit the development of postnatal lateralization.

Turning biases have been reported in some mammalian species, but less is known about such biases in nonmammalians. This study investigated turning biases in domestic chicks, bobwhite and Japanese quail, leopard geckos, and snapping turtles. Domestic chicks (white leghorn and bantam) and bobwhite quail demonstrate strong group laterality. Japanese quail chicks, snapping turtles, and leopard geckos demonstrate no significant group bias. Results are discussed with regard to differences in embryonic experience, hatching behavior, and postnatal environment. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 39: 84–91, 2001

multiple endogenous and exogenous prenatal influences interact to form a system that induces the development of individual lateralization across a range of perceptual and motor abilities in precocial birds. as these influences are nearly invariant for all species members, they produce a phylogenetic influence that creates high levels of population laterality and social cohesion in the postnatal state.