Animal Behavior Flashcards
behavior has its ultimate basis in what?
evolution
ethology
study of animal behavior
why do birds sing?
1) attract mates
2) let other birds know their location
3) hold territory
is behavior subject to natural selection?
yes
behavior results from what two things?
genes and environmental factors
innate behavior
due to genetic progamming
FAP
fixed action pattern
- sequence of behavioral acts that are essentially unchangeable and usually carries to completion once initiated
Greyleg Goose behavior
rolls the egg back to the nest using side-to-side head motions when something is sensed near the nest
European Cuckoos behavior
lay the eggs in nests of other species (like Reed Warblers nests and they feed the eggs due to FAP)
imprinting
recognition and attachment of young to a particular adult
how do humans have to deal with imprinting
minimizing/eliminating human presence while raising CA condors
associative learning
animals associate one feature of their environment with another (classical conditioning, bell)
example of associative learning
a white footed mouse will avoid eating caterpillars with specific colors after a bad experience with a distasteful monarch butterfly caterpillar
trial & error learning (operant conditioning)
an animal learns to associate one of its behaviors with a reward or punishment (skinner “reward” box)
habituation
involves loss of responsiveness to unimportant stimuli or stimuli that do not appropriate feedback
what is an example of habituation?
some animals stop responding to warning signals after no predator cry is heard afterwards
spatial learning
more complex modification of behavior based on experience with the spatial structure of the environment
digger wasps
Niko Tinbergen showed that they use landmark shapes to find nest entrances
how do chimpanzees learn by observation?
young chimpanzees learn to crack palm nuts with stones by copying older chimpanzees
cognition and problem solving
using reasoning and logic (most animals do not have this)
cognition
process of knowing that may include awareness, reasoning, recollection and judgement
kinesis
simple change in activity or turning rate in response to a stimulus
example of kinesis
bugs become faster in dry areas (to avoid desiccation)
taxis
automatic, oriented movement toward or away from a stimulus
example of taxis
many stream fish exhibit a positive taxis and automatically swim in an upstream direction
changing seasons are associated with what rhythm?
circannual rhythm (ASSOCIATED TWICE A YEAR WITH MIGRATION)
fiddler crab lunar cycle behaviors
courtship occurs during new and full moons
dominance hierarchies are known in what species?
baboons, wolves, chickens
inclusive fitness
an individual doesn’t have to reproduce to increase its fitness…instead the individual can increase the fitness of relatives
example of ritual behavior
snakes fighting each other instinctively in front of a female, without biting each other
kin selection
behaviors that favor relatives (altruism not really altruism, Dawkins)