# Animal Behavior
Confidence: high
Last verified: 2026-05-22
Generation: ai_assisted


## TL;DR

Animal behavior studies how animals interact with their environment, other organisms, and their own species. Tinbergen's 4 questions: mechanism (how?), ontogeny (development?), function (adaptive value?), phylogeny (evolutionary history?). Key behaviors: communication, mating, foraging, social organization, migration, cooperation.

## Core Explanation

Bees' waggle dance (von Frisch, Nobel 1973): communicates food distance and direction. Imprinting (Lorenz): ducklings follow first moving object. Altruism paradox (Hamilton, 1964): kin selection — helping relatives helps shared genes. r/K selection: r (many offspring, little care: insects), K (few offspring, much care: elephants). Tool use: not unique to humans — chimpanzees (termite fishing), crows (wire bending), sea otters (rock = anvil).

## Further Reading

- [Animal Behavior (John Alcock, 11th Ed)](https://www.oxfordlearninglink.com/s-alcock-animal-behavior-11e)