Animal Behavior

Animal Behavior Animal Behavior – an action or a group of actions performed by an animal in response to some stimulus There are 3 types of animal behavior:

Innate Behavior 1. Innate behavior – genetically determined behavior (animal is born with the ability to know how to do it) a. Reflex – simple, automatic response that involves no conscious control

Innate Behavior b. Instinct – complex innate behavior; ex.: suckling, nest building, web spinning

Innate Behavior c. Taxis – response made by the whole organism to an environmental stimulus - insects moving away from or toward light = phototaxis - moving toward chemical substance = chemotaxis

Innate Behavior d. Migration – seasonal movement of animals, usually to a warmer area

Innate Behavior e. Estivation – a state of reduced metabolism that occurs in animals living in conditions of intense heat

Innate Behavior f. Hibernation – a deep sleep in which body temperature, oxygen consumption, and breathing rate decrease (conserves energy)

Learned Behavior Learned behavior- squirrel gets food from a bird feeder Habituation- deer checking out a car at a state park 2. Learned behavior – obtained through practice or experience Habituation- occurs when an animal is repeatedly given a stimulus that is not associated with any punishment or reward horse not moving when cars go by on a road Child keeps misbehaving when there is no punishment Deer at Stone Mountain State Park (not camera-shy)

Learned Behavior b. Imprinting – an animal forms a social attachment to an object during its “critical time” if you pick up a baby bird, it might think you are its mama

Learned Behavior c. Classical Conditioning (stimulus association)- animal learns to associate one event with another event Pavlov’s dog experiments with bell and food

Learned Behavior d. Trial and error – keeps trying until the correct response is made; there must be a reward Mouse in a maze (gets faster each time); basketball

Social Behavior 3. Social Behavior Communication within social structure using pheromones (ex. Bees and ants) Pheromone = a chemical released by an animal that affects the behavior or development of other members of the same species through the sense of smell or taste Ants leaving a trail to food, bees identifying and defending hive, attracting mates

Social Behavior b. Courtship dances – movements to attract mate Spiders, birds, humans  http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=322_1185412350 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=c56_1191324254

Social Behavior c. Territorial defense (ex. Fighting fish) – animal defends its physical space against other members of its species Prevents overcrowding and increases survival