Social and nutritional influences on the feeding of ring dove squab.

The effects of food deprivation on ring dove squabs' begging and pecking was examined during the period of transition from dependent to independent feeding. Food-deprived squabs begged more, pecked more, and were fed more by their parents than nondeprived squabs. When deprived, young squab primarily beg for food and older squab primarily peck. This difference may arise from the relative efficiencies of the two feeding responses at different ages. Additionally, parental state exerted control over the amount the squab pecked and begged. Parental food deprivation affected squab pecking, probably because hungry parents pecked more themselves and fed squabs less. Squab begging was not affected by parental food deprivation. However, parental separation from squab affected squab begging, as parents previously without squab were more likely to feed begging squab than were parents who were not separated from squab. Parental separation from squab did not affect squab pecking. The changes in the endogenous and exogenous controls of squab feeding allow for a great deal of plasticity in the transition from dependent to independent feeding.