Animal Behavior

Chp 33 Pp. 858-879

Table of Contents
33.1 Innate Behavior
33.2 Learned Behavior

33.1 Innate Behavior

Behavior is anything

an animal does in
response to a
stimulus.
A stimulus is an
environmental
change that directly
influences the activity
of an organism

33.1 Innate Behavior

Animals carry on

behaviors with
adaptive value:

Getting food
Avoiding predators
Caring for young
Finding shelter
Attracting mates

Enable reproduction

& survival of species

33.1 Innate Behavior

Inherited Behavior

Natural selection
favors certain
behaviors.
To capture prey,
toads detect & follow
movement. The
tongue flipping out is
a fixed action
pattern.

33.1 Innate Behavior

Genes form the basis

for innate behavior.

Hormonal balance
Nervous system

Sense organs for

sight, touch, sound
odor ID

Affect how sensitive

organisms are to
stimuli

33.1 Innate Behavior

Automatic responses
Reflexes
Involves no
conscious control
Fight or flight
response controlled
by hormones &
nervous system
Fixed Action Patterns
Instincts

33.1 Innate Behavior

Fixed Action Patterns
Quick automatic
response
Instincts

Complex pattern of
innate behavior
Animal recognizes
stimulus & continues
until all parts of
behavior are
accomplished

33.1 Innate Behavior

Instincts
Courtship Behavior

Bowerbirds create
displays to attract
mates
Bowerbird Display
video

33.1 Innate Behavior

Fireflies flash

distinctive light
patterns that are
species specific.

33.1 Innate Behavior

Territoriality reduces

competition.
A territory is a
physical space an
animal defends
against others of its
species.

Breeding area
Feeding area
Potential mates

Male Siberian Tigers

33.1 Innate Behavior

Mark territories with

pheromones
Attack & drive
intruders away
Improves survival of
young and of the
species

Lion performing scuffing ceremony.

33.1 Innate Behavior

Aggressive behavior

threatens other
animals
Used to intimidate
others of same
species
To defend young,
territory or resource

33.1 Innate Behavior

Submission leads to

Wolves with female dominance hierarchy

dominance
hierarchies
Form of social
ranking within a
group in which some
are subordinate or
dominant to others
Hierarchy innate but
position may be
learned

33.1 Innate Behavior

Behavior resulting

from internal &

external cues
Biological or
circadian rhythms,
day/night sleep cycle
Seasonal cycle

Migration- instinctive
seasonal movement
Hibernation
Estivation

Migrating caribou

33.1 Innate Behavior

Hibernation

State in which body

temp drops, oxygen
consumption &
breathing rate drops
Conserves energy

Estivation

Reduced metabolism
for living in extreme
heat or to drought or
lack of food

33.2 Learned Behavior

When behavior

changes due to
practice or
experience
Allows animals to
adapt to change
Especially important
to those with longer
life spans

Black bears have learned to

choose minivans as targets for
raiding food! (Nat. Geo)

33.2 Learned Behavior

Habituation
An animal becomes

habituated when it no
longer responds to a
stimulus.
The gorillas shown
here are habituated
to the presence of
humans.

33.2 Learned Behavior

Imprinting
Form of learning

that occurs at a
specific critical time
forming a social
attachment to an
object or individual
Birds imprint within
a day or two of
hatching
Usually irreversible
CA condor w/ puppet

33.2 Learned Behavior

By trial & error
Animal receives a

reward for making a

particular response
Motivation is
internal need that
causes an animal to
act; necessary for
learning to take place
Usually involves
satisfying a need

33.2 Learned Behavior

Classical conditioning

learning by association
Pavlov noted that dogs
salivate at smell of food
By ringing a bell when
presenting food he
established association
Eventually sound of bell
resulted in dog salivating
Conditioned response

Ivan Pavlov

33.2 Learned Behavior

Insight- most

Sea Otter

complex kind of
learning
Animal uses previous
experience to
respond to new
situation
Ex. Solving math
problems

33.2 Learned Behavior

Communication-

exchange of info
resulting in a change
of behavior

33.2 Learned Behavior

Communicate by

sound
Vibrate in all
directions
Warnings, invitations,
location, species
even gender
Wolf Howling

33.2 Learned Behavior

Signal by odors Ant odor trails
Moth pheromones
Scent-marked

territory

33.2 Learned Behavior

Some communication

is both innate &

learned.
Songbirds have the
innate ability to sing;
however, they learn
their regional dialect.

Goldfinch Song

33.2 Learned Behavior

Language uses

symbols to represent
ideas.
Requires complex
nervous system,
memory and insight.
Humans can benefit
from using
knowledge gained by
others.