animal behaviour Facts

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</button> <button disabled class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Next"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span> </button> </div> </div> </div> <main> <div class="md-page-wrapper"> <div id="content" class="md-content"> <div class="grid gx-0 container-lg px-0 py-lg-20 mx-auto"> <div class="col-auto"> <div class="topic-left-rail md-article-drawer position-relative d-flex border-right-sm border-left-sm open"> <div class="drawer d-flex flex-column open"> <div class="left-rail-section-content"> <div class="topic-left-rail-header text-truncate bg-gray-50 position-relative text-right d-flex align-items-center"> <div class="tlr-title px-20 py-15 text-left"> <em class="material-icons text-gray-400 d-lg-none" data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/science/animal-behavior">animal behaviour</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <ul class="list-unstyled my-0" data-level="h1"><li data-target="#ref1"><div class="pl-25"><a class="link-gray-900 w-100" href="/science/animal-behavior">Introduction</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref282488"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/animal-behavior/History-and-basic-concepts">History and basic concepts</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref282489"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/animal-behavior/History-and-basic-concepts#ref282489">Darwin’s influence</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref282490"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/animal-behavior/History-and-basic-concepts#ref282490">Ecological and ethological approaches to the study of behaviour</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref282491"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/animal-behavior/Causation">Causation</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref282492"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/animal-behavior/Causation#ref282492">Sensory-motor mechanisms</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref282493"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/animal-behavior/Cognitive-mechanisms">Cognitive mechanisms</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref282494"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/animal-behavior/Ontogeny">Ontogeny</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref282495"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/animal-behavior/Ontogeny#ref282495">Behavioral genetics</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref282496"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/animal-behavior/Instinctive-learning">Instinctive learning</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref282497"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/animal-behavior/Function">Function</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref282498"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/animal-behavior/Function#ref282498">Natural selection in action</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref282499"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/animal-behavior/Adaptive-design">Adaptive design</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref282500"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/animal-behavior/Adaptive-design#ref282500">Evolutionary history of behaviour</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref282501"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/animal-behavior/Character-mapping">Character mapping</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref282502"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/animal-behavior/Character-mapping#ref282502">Phylogenetic grading</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref282503"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/animal-behavior/Artificial-selection">Artificial selection</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref282504"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/science/animal-behavior/Artificial-selection#ref282504">The comparative approach</a></li></ul></div></li></ul> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/science/animal-behavior/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900 selected" href="/facts/animal-behavior">Related Topics</a> </div> <div class="tlr-media-slider pb-10 mb-30"> <a class="section-header link-gray-900 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mb-10 mx-10" href="https://www.britannica.com/science/animal-behavior/images-videos">Images, Videos & Interactives</a> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 "> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex overflow-hidden text-nowrap ml-15"> <a 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dead</a><a href="/science/reproductive-behaviour-zoology" class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-blue border-gray-200 mb-5 mr-5">reproductive behaviour</a><a href="/topic/locomotion" class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-blue border-gray-200 mb-5 mr-5">locomotion</a><a href="/science/animal-communication" class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-blue border-gray-200 mb-5 mr-5">animal communication</a><a href="/science/feeding-behavior" class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-blue border-gray-200 mb-5 mr-5">feeding behaviour</a><a href="/science/avoidance-behavior" class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-blue border-gray-200 mb-5 mr-5">avoidance behaviour</a><a href="/science/display-behavior" class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-blue border-gray-200 mb-5 mr-5">display behaviour</a><a href="/topic/agonism" class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-blue border-gray-200 mb-5 mr-5">agonism</a><a href="/science/zoo" class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-blue border-gray-200 mb-5 mr-5">zoo</a><a href="/topic/human-behavior" class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-blue border-gray-200 mb-5 mr-5">human behaviour</a><a href="/animal/pet" class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-blue border-gray-200 mb-5 mr-5">pet</a><a href="/animal/livestock" class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-blue border-gray-200 mb-5 mr-5">livestock</a><a href="/animal/reptile" class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-blue border-gray-200 mb-5 mr-5">reptile</a><a href="/animal/fish" class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-blue border-gray-200 mb-5 mr-5">fish</a><a href="/topic/drug-use" class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-blue border-gray-200 mb-5 mr-5">drug use</a><a href="/animal/insect" class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-blue border-gray-200 mb-5 mr-5">insect</a><a href="/animal/bird-animal" class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-blue border-gray-200 mb-5 mr-5">bird</a><a href="/topic/philosophical-anthropology" class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-blue border-gray-200 mb-5 mr-5">philosophical anthropology</a></div> <div class="alert my-20"> <div class="label mb-10">Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic</div> <ul class="list-column column-md-2"> <li> <a class="" href="/topic/ethics-philosophy/Problems-of-divine-origin#ref60002">ethics: Nonhuman behaviour</a> </li> <li> <a class="" href="/science/conservation-ecology/Which-species-are-most-vulnerable-to-extinction#ref272694">conservation: Behaviour</a> </li> <li> <a class="" href="/science/chemoreception/Specialized-chemosensory-structures#ref279486">chemoreception: Behaviour and chemoreception</a> </li> <li> <a class="" href="/animal/insect/Role-of-hormones#ref41274">insect: Behaviour</a> </li> <li> <a class="" href="/animal/dog/Reproductive-cycle#ref15471">dog: Behaviour</a> </li> <li> <a class="" href="/animal/bat-mammal/Natural-history#ref51404">bat: Behaviour</a> </li> <li> <a class="" href="/animal/cephalopod#ref35762">cephalopod: Behaviour</a> </li> </ul> </div> <hr class="grey-box-line my-20" /> <h3 class="qa-key-people">Key People</h3> <div class="grid g-20"> <div class="col-50 col-md-33 col-lg-20"> <div class="card card-sm"> <div class="card-media" style="--aspect-ratio: 3/4"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/17/149717-050-387676DD/Konrad-Lorenz.jpg?h=400&w=300&c=crop" alt="Konrad Lorenz" /> </div> <div class="card-body"> <a class="font-weight-bold text-hyphenate" href="/biography/Konrad-Lorenz">Konrad Lorenz</a> <div class="caption mt-5 text-hyphenate">Austrian zoologist</div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-50 col-md-33 col-lg-20"> <div class="card card-sm"> <div class="card-media" style="--aspect-ratio: 3/4"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/06/154506-050-9FD8F77F/Temple-Grandin.jpg?h=400&w=300&c=crop" alt="Temple Grandin" /> </div> <div class="card-body"> <a class="font-weight-bold text-hyphenate" href="/biography/Temple-Grandin">Temple Grandin</a> <div class="caption mt-5 text-hyphenate">American scientist and industrial designer</div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-50 col-md-33 col-lg-20"> <div class="card card-sm"> <div class="card-media" style="--aspect-ratio: 3/4"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/images/shared/default3.png?v=3.133.36" class="default " /> </div> <div class="card-body"> <a class="font-weight-bold text-hyphenate" href="/biography/Karl-von-Frisch">Karl von Frisch</a> <div class="caption mt-5 text-hyphenate">Austrian zoologist</div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-50 col-md-33 col-lg-20"> <div class="card card-sm"> <div class="card-media" style="--aspect-ratio: 3/4"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/images/shared/default3.png?v=3.133.36" class="default " /> </div> <div class="card-body"> <a class="font-weight-bold text-hyphenate" href="/biography/C-Lloyd-Morgan">C. Lloyd Morgan</a> <div class="caption mt-5 text-hyphenate">British zoologist and psychologist</div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-50 col-md-33 col-lg-20"> <div class="card card-sm"> <div class="card-media" style="--aspect-ratio: 3/4"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/images/shared/default3.png?v=3.133.36" class="default " /> </div> <div class="card-body"> <a class="font-weight-bold text-hyphenate" href="/biography/Theodore-Christian-Schneirla">Theodore Christian Schneirla</a> <div class="caption mt-5 text-hyphenate">American animal psychologist</div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-50 col-md-33 col-lg-20"> <div class="card card-sm"> <div class="card-media" style="--aspect-ratio: 3/4"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/images/shared/default3.png?v=3.133.36" class="default " /> </div> <div class="card-body"> <a class="font-weight-bold text-hyphenate" href="/biography/Nikolaas-Tinbergen">Nikolaas Tinbergen</a> <div class="caption mt-5 text-hyphenate">Dutch zoologist</div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-50 col-md-33 col-lg-20"> <div class="card card-sm"> <div class="card-media" style="--aspect-ratio: 3/4"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/84/135584-050-A5D2FF6A/John-Lubbock-1st-Baron-Avebury.jpg?h=400&w=300&c=crop" alt="Lubbock, John, 1st Baron Avebury" /> </div> <div class="card-body"> <a class="font-weight-bold text-hyphenate" href="/money/John-Lubbock-1st-Baron-Avebury">John Lubbock, 1st Baron Avebury</a> <div class="caption mt-5 text-hyphenate">British banker, politician, and naturalist</div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-50 col-md-33 col-lg-20"> <div class="card card-sm"> <div class="card-media" style="--aspect-ratio: 3/4"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/images/shared/default3.png?v=3.133.36" class="default " /> </div> <div class="card-body"> <a class="font-weight-bold text-hyphenate" href="/biography/Donald-Redfield-Griffin">Donald Redfield Griffin</a> <div class="caption mt-5 text-hyphenate">American biophysicist</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <hr class="grey-box-line my-20" /> <h3 class="qa-related-quizzes">Related Quizzes and Features</h3> <div class="h5 mb-10" id="Quiz-25597">Quiz</div> <div class="grid g-20 pb-20"> <div class="col-100 col-lg-50 col-xl-33"> <div class="card card-sm d-flex flex-row"> <div class="card-media col-auto"> <a href="/quiz/match-the-baby-animal-to-its-mama-quiz"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/57/243957-118-E4670CB5/mute-swan-with-cygnet.jpg?h=150&w=150&c=crop" alt="Mute swan with cygnet. (birds)" width="80" height="80" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body"> <a class="font-weight-bold line-clamp clamp-3" title="Match the Baby Animal to Its Mama Quiz" href="/quiz/match-the-baby-animal-to-its-mama-quiz"> Match the Baby Animal to Its Mama Quiz</a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-100 col-lg-50 col-xl-33"> <div class="card card-sm d-flex flex-row"> <div class="card-media col-auto"> <a href="/quiz/animal-factoids"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/07/167707-118-A56ED7D7/Lammergeier.jpg?h=150&w=150&c=crop" alt="vulture. An adult bearded vulture at a raptor recovery center. The Gypaetus barbatus also known as the Lammergeier or Lammergeyer, is a bird of prey and considered an Old World vulture." width="80" height="80" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body"> <a class="font-weight-bold line-clamp clamp-3" title="Animal Factoids" href="/quiz/animal-factoids"> Animal Factoids</a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-100 col-lg-50 col-xl-33"> <div class="card card-sm d-flex flex-row"> <div class="card-media col-auto"> <a href="/quiz/deadliest-animals-quiz"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/54/92754-118-CD8B07E8/lion-Panthera-leo.jpg?h=150&w=150&c=crop" alt="Lion (panthera leo)" width="80" height="80" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body"> <a class="font-weight-bold line-clamp clamp-3" title="Deadliest Animals Quiz" href="/quiz/deadliest-animals-quiz"> Deadliest Animals Quiz</a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-100 col-lg-50 col-xl-33"> <div class="card card-sm d-flex flex-row"> <div class="card-media col-auto"> <a href="/quiz/animal-group-names"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/65/161265-118-16FCADED/Sea-otter.jpg?h=150&w=150&c=crop" alt="Sea otter (Enhydra lutris), also called great sea otter, rare, completely marine otter of the northern Pacific, usually found in kelp beds. Floats on back. Looks like sea otter laughing. saltwater otters" width="80" height="80" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body"> <a class="font-weight-bold line-clamp clamp-3" title="Animal Group Names" href="/quiz/animal-group-names"> Animal Group Names</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="h5 mb-10" id="Demystified-25597">Demystified</div> <div class="grid g-20 pb-20"> <div class="col-100 col-lg-50 col-xl-33"> <div class="card card-sm d-flex flex-row"> <div class="card-media col-auto"> <a href="/story/why-do-some-animals-eat-their-mates-after-sex"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/32/92732-004-3318FF46/Mantid.jpg?h=150&w=150&c=crop" alt="Praying mantis (sphodromantis gastrica)" width="80" height="80" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body"> <a class="font-weight-bold line-clamp clamp-3" title="Why Do Some Animals Eat Their Mates After Sex?" href="/story/why-do-some-animals-eat-their-mates-after-sex"> Why Do Some Animals Eat Their Mates After Sex?</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> <hr class="grey-box-line my-20" /> </div> </div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <footer class="md-footer footer-wrapper hide-on-edit"> <div class="footer-bck"> <DIV class="marketing-FOOTER_NEWSLETTER marketing-content" data-marketing-id="FOOTER_NEWSLETTER"><div class="md-footer-newsletter-form pt-10 mb-30 mx-15 mx-sm-120"> <div class="font-18"> <strong>History at your fingertips –</strong> Sign up here to see what happened On This Day, every day in your inbox! </div> <div class="p-30"> <div class="newsletter-form-container"> <form class="newsletter-form" method="post" action="/newsletter-subscription/EB_ON_THIS_DAY"> <div class="form-group grid d-flex justify-content-center"> <div class="col-sm-50 col-100"> <label class="sr-only" for="enter-your-email">Enter your email</label> <input id="enter-your-email" type="email" name="email" class="form-control font-18 p-10" placeholder="Enter your email" pattern="[a-z0-9._%+-]+@[a-z0-9.-]+\.[a-z]{2,4}$" required> </div> <div class="col-sm-auto col-100 mt-5 mt-sm-0"> <button type="submit" class="btn btn-outline-white" style="width: 100%; height:100%;">Subscribe</button> </div> </div> <div class="text-white pt-30 text-opacity"> By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica.<br> Click here to view our <a class="link-white text-decoration-underline" href="https://corporate.britannica.com/privacy-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Privacy Notice</a>. 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