Bullet point notes

BEHAVIOUR

¨      Inborn response/not learned/genetically determined; e.g. ability to produce a song of a specific length and containing specific notes

¨      shown by all individuals of species

Benefits of courtship behaviour:

¨      Species recognition;

¨      sex identification;

¨      courtship/attract a mate;

¨      synchronise sex behaviour/strengthen pair bond;

¨      territory marking/defence;

territories

¨      In winter maintains food supply to survive adverse conditions

¨      used for acquiring a mate/pair formation/courtship

¨      retaining the mate/pair bonding

¨      food supply for young/less competition for food

¨      protection of young

¨      less disease transmission

¨      lower chance of predation

¨      natural selection of fittest/only fittest obtain territories

Aggressive encounters

¨      Less chance of injury

¨      requires less energy

¨      is established territories intruder is submissive/withdraws (so fighting is not needed)

¨      fighting used when both individuals have a chance of acquiring it

¨      song/display used to advertise fitness

Kinesis

¨      Move faster in unfavourable environment

¨      increases chance of finding suitable environment/remaining in a favourable environment

¨      Rate of movement related to intensity of stimulus

Habituation

¨      Stimulus repeated many times;

¨      No reinforcement by actual predator;

¨      Nerve adaptation/ nerve impulses blocked