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USGS · 5221375

Behavior of mallard ducklings from parents fed 3 ppm DDE

G. H. Heinz
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Abstract

Mallard ducks fed a diet containing 3 ppm DDE (equal to about 0.6 ppm in a natural succulent diet) laid eggs that contained an average of 5.8 ppm DDE; ducklings that hatched from these eggs differed from controls in behavioral tests designed to measure responses to a maternal call and to a frightening stimulus. In response to the maternal call, ducklings from parents fed DDE were hyper-responsive; compared to controls, a greater percentage approached the call and a greater percentage of those that approached remained near the call for the remainder of the test. In a test of avoidance behavior, ducklings whose parents were fed DDE traveled shorter distances from the firghtening stimulus than did controls.

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BibTeXRIS

G. H. Heinz. 1976. Behavior of mallard ducklings from parents fed 3 ppm DDE. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf01685179

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