Question

A female zebra finch reared by a father with a red feather taped to his head will select a mate with a similar ornament over an unornamented male. What are plausible ultimate explanations for this behavior (i.e., why it occurs in the context of natural selection)?1.Zebra finches are able to perceive ornamentation on other birds.2.A female zebra finch learns to recognize suitable mates by observing her father.3.A female zebra finch that chooses a mate that resembles her father is more likely to reproduce successfully.

Answer 1

Answer: 3.

Explanation:

The concept is based on sexual imprinting which results from selection for recognition of conspecifics.

Sexual imprinting is the mechanism by which a young animal discovers the properties of a desired mate. Male zebra finches, for example, tend to favor mates with the presence of the female bird rearing them, rather than that of the birth parent when they're special.

A female zebra finch select a male that resembels her father with a red feather taped to his head for reprodcution because there are sufficient opportunity of sexual imprinting.

Hence, the correct option is 3.