寄生性杜鹃与寄主之间的互作，是研究协同进化的模式系统，更是研究动物认知行为的重要渠道，因为在寄主的反寄生进化中，如何识别杜鹃的寄生卵和寄生雏鸟，正是对抗杜鹃巢寄生最重要的行为适应，然而国际上对寄主反寄生认知行为的机制和进化方面的研究甚少。本项目拟采用卵寄生实验、雏鸟易养寄生实验、光谱分析技术、鸟类视觉模型、Granularity粒度分析、NPM斑纹匹配模型、3D扫描、3D建模和3D打印等方法和技术，通过研究寄生压力、卵色斑纹、卵UV、卵大小、卵数量和卵气味与卵认知的关系以揭示卵认知的机制；通过研究清巢行为到卵认知行为的等级变化以揭示寄主卵认知的进化；通过研究卵认知、雏鸟体色、雏鸟UV、雏鸟鸣声、雏鸟气味和寄主习惯化行为与寄主雏鸟认知行为的关系以揭示雏鸟认知行为的机制与进化。本项目研究旨在完善鸟类巢寄生研究领域的理论学说，提高我国在国际相关研究领域的学术影响力。

The interaction between parasitic cuckoos and their hosts constitutes a model system and an optimal opportunity to study coevolution and animal cognition because egg and chick cognitions are no other than the most important adaptations against cuckoo parasitism by hosts. However, the mechanism and evolution of such anti-parasitic cognition have received less attention and research. This program aims to (1) reveal the mechanism of egg cognition by testing the impacts of parasitism pressure, egg color and pattern, egg UV reflectance, egg size, egg number and egg smell on egg cognition; (2) reveal the evolution of egg cognition by testing the hierarchical process from nest sanitation to egg cognition; (3) reveal the mechanism and evolution of chick cognition by testing the impacts of egg cognition, chick color, chick UV reflectance, chick begging call, chick smell and host habituation on chick cognition. Several advanced methods and technologies including parasitism experiment, spectra analysis, avian visual modeling, granularity analysis, NPM modeling, 3D scanning, 3D modeling and 3D printing are used. The final destinations of this program are to improve our knowledge about avian brood parasitism, and enhance the domestic academic level in such scientific domain.