Topic 3 Animal Behavior: Foraging Behavior

Question 1

• The goal of foraging is to maximize the amount of food eaten and to minimize energy expenditure and risk. Foraging is not just eating but also the activities an animal uses to search for, recognize, and capture food.

Answer 1

Note

Question 2

• There are several advantages to being in herds. They can cooperate and carry out a behavior more successfully as a group. Some benefits of being in a herd are:

Answer 2

1. Herds, Flocks, and Schools

Question 3

a. Concealment
b. Vigilance
c. Defense

Answer 3

Types of Herds, Flocks, and Schools

Question 4

• Most individuals in the flock are hidden from view

Answer 4

a. Concealment

Question 5

• In a group, individuals can trade off foraging and watching for predators. There are also more individuals watching out for predators

Answer 5

b. Vigilance

Question 6

• A group of individuals can shield their young or mob a predator

Answer 6

c. Defense

Question 7

• Being part of a pack enables members to corner and successfully attack large prey

Answer 7

2. Packs

Question 8

• Search images help animals find favored or plentiful food by using a specific, perhaps abbreviated ‘image’ of the target. An example is a cheetah using a search image (seeing black and white coloration) to find a zebra

Answer 8

3. Search Images