Ethology and Behavioral Ecology Vocabulary

Flashcards for Ethology and Behavioral Ecology

Ethology

The science of animal behavior

Behavioral ecology

Study of how behavior benefits an organism's survival

Instincts

Innate behavior that occurs without learning

Key stimuli

Triggers a specific behavior, such as the red stain on a herring gull's bill

Imprinting

Learning behavior during an early stage of life

Supernormal stimuli

A stronger stimuli than normal, like a cuckoo chick's mouth

Displacement activity

Conflicting behaviors leading to a completely different behavior

Redundant action

Motivation for a behavior is present, but the stimuli is missing

Conditioning

Associating a behavior with a selected signal

Communication

Visual, acoustic, chemical, and tactile signals used by animals

Camouflage

A way to avoid predators by blending in with the environment

Mimicry

A way to avoid predators by resembling another animal

Sexual selection

When the female's choice of partner is influenced by characteristics / traits in males

Sexual dimorphism

Different appearances in males and females -> secondary sexual characteristics

Monogamy

One male + one female, shared care for the offspring

Polygamy

Multiple partners, one takes care of the offspring

Polygyny

One male + several females

Polyandry

One female + several males

Promiscuous

No coupling, only meet at procreation