Siblings are special.Be they protector or tormentor, friend or foe, the relationship between siblings is like no other. They witness each other’s childhoods — sharing parents, history, secrets and advice.

Even among some bird species, siblings can be powerful role models — eclipsing even their parents’ influence — according to a study from the University of California, Davis, and the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior.

The study, published in the journal PLOS Biology, is the first to examine social learning strategies in juveniles in the wild where the species has some, but not extensive, parental care.

“Much of our knowledge about social learning in juveniles stems from species with extended periods of parental care, including humans,” said lead author Sonja Wild, who was a post

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