Individual Recognition between Siblings of the Young Black-tailed Gull (Larus crassirostris)

We had 18 eggs artificially hatched in a mass breeding place of black-tailed gulls and examined the individual recognition between young siblings in a laboratory environment. The results of the experiment showed that the young gulls selectively responded to their siblings and non-siblings at an early stage after hatching. It was shown that they began to recognize the begging call among the voice signals of siblings and non-siblings 15-16 days after hatching, and the chirirah call 11-12 days after hatching. Also, more significant results were shown with the chirirah call than with the begging call. In an experiment of visual recognition between siblings and non-siblings, the young black-tailed gulls approached their siblings significantly 9-10 days after hatching. The recognition between young siblings in a mass breeding place provides an important evolutionary indicator in terms of their social behaviors.