Fifty days after hatching, a white-crowned sparrow will never be able to sing a normal song if reared in isolation. This is an example of
A) a sensitive period.
B) a sign stimulus.
C) an innate behavior.
D) a fixed-action pattern.
E) habituation.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is an example of a sensitive period, a specific time window in an organism's development during which it is most receptive to acquiring a particular trait or ability. In this case, the white-crowned sparrow must be exposed to the songs of other white-crowned sparrows within a certain timeframe in order to learn and develop its own song properly. After this sensitive period has passed, the bird cannot acquire this ability.

Fifty Days After Hatching, a White-Crowned Sparrow Will Never Be