ANIMAL BEHAVIORS Defining categories of behavior ANIMAL BEHAVIOR

ANIMAL BEHAVIORS Defining categories of behavior

ANIMAL BEHAVIOR VOCABULARY Ethology � Study of animal behavior � Anthropomorphism Need to be careful about ascribing or attributing human emotions to animals Behavior � Action performed in response to stimulus Stimulus � Something that elicits a response

STIMULI Sight Sound Touch Smell Taste Sound Heat Light Chemicals Humidity Vibration Color Gravity Pressure presence of another animal etc

External Stimuli � Something outside of the animal Sound Sight Smell Presence of another animal Internal stimuli � Something inside the animal Hunger Fatigue Feeling cold hormones

13 TYPES OF BEHAVIOR 1. Foraging Feeding Locate, obtain, consume food

2. Parental Care ensuring survival of young carrying, nursing, cuddling, holding young

3. Courtship � attracting a mate Courtship displays, bright feathers, songs, vocalizing, head butting, fighting

4. Reproductive � Mating, giving birth

5. Offensive/ Defensive � Aggresion, submissive behavior, defense from aggressors Hiding, fighting, escape, threatening

6. Territorial � Protect a resource for exclusive use Scenting, marking, birdsong, protection of mate / offspring, space, food, water source

7. Social � Work to create alliances, help the group Grooming, babysitting, play fight

8. Migratory � Movement to a more suitable environment as seasons change Dry vs. rainy, winter vs. summer range, upriver to spawn, to cooler/ warmer climate

9. Communication � Signaling between one animal and another greeting-sniff, bite, hug aggression – charge, bite, hit non-aggressive – patting, stroking vocalizations – bark, growl, snort, howl, chirps non-verbal – body posture, head, ears, tail, teeth, looking away, looking directly, raising hackles or hood, tail slap, etc