亲缘理论是动物行为研究的重要理论基石之一。与其相关的争议当前主要集中在动物是否具备真正的亲属识别能力和亲属识别过程中应用哪些线索。本项目将以灰喜鹊Cyanopica cyana的亲属识别作为研究对象，借助于基于微卫星基因分型的空间自相关分析和亲权鉴定技术，以及等龄雏鸟交叉培养实验，比较成鸟在面对亲属和非亲属时表达的社会行为差异（包括空间遗传结构建立、扩散、婚外交配行为、育雏、合作御敌和同种劫巢），来验证它们是否能够识别个体间的亲缘度差别。在此基础上，首先通过差龄雏鸟交叉饲养实验来检验亲鸟对子代的识别是否与雏鸟日龄有关，接着通过巢空间位置变更实验、雏鸟香水实验和雏鸟乞食鸣叫回放实验分别检验空间位置、气味和声信号是否被亲鸟用来作为识别子代的线索。最后，借助对雏鸟大脑转录组进行测序和差异表达分析，构建转录组随雏鸟日龄的发育模式，找到影响亲属识别的关键性状及连锁基因.

Kinship theory is one of the most important fundamental theories for animal behavioral researches, which now encounters two unresolved problems. One is that whether animals can really recognize between kin and non-kin; the other is that what are the cues used by them in kin recognition. In order to improve the kinship theory by providing empirical and experimental evidences, we propose this project about the kin recognition of the azure-winged magpie Cyanopica cyana. By performing microsatellite-based spatial autocorrelation analysis and parentage analysis, as well as cross-fostering experiments of same-aged nestlings, we will examine the differences in adult social behaviors that are exerted towards kin and non-kin. Therefore, we can answer whether differences in kinship can be perceived by azure-winged magpies. These social behaviors include formation of spatial genetic structure, post-fledging dispersal, engaging in extra-pair copulations, brood provisioning, cooperative anti-predation and conspecific nest-raiding. Then, we design a cross-fostering experiment of different-aged nestlings to examine the relationship between parental-offspring discrimination and nestling age. Moreover, three types of experiments, the nest-site changing, scent adjustment and playback of nestling begging call, will be used to examine whether nest spatial position, olfactory molecular and vocal signal are selected as cues in kin recognition of azure-winged magpies. Finally, we will sequence brain transcriptome of different-aged nestlings to reveal potential development patterns of key phenotypic traits and linked alleles that are used in kin recognition.