Animal Behavior

Catalog description

Six hours of lecture/discussion/lab per week. This course focuses on the mechanisms and evolution of animal behavior, including proximate and ultimate explanations of behavior. Topics studied include foraging; antipredator defenses; mating systems and sexual selection; social behavior; communication; parental care; kin selection and recognition; learning; and territoriality. Laboratory exercises will complement topics in lectures and emphasize the observation, statistical analysis and interpretation of behavior in a variety of animal species. Independent student research projects will be conducted in the laboratory throughout the semester. Prerequisite: grade of C or higher in 251.