Innate Animal Behavior

Behavior is the change in activity of an organism in response to a stimulus and can be grouped as innate or learned.

Innate behaviors, such as kinesis, taxis, and migration, are instinctual responses to external stimuli.

Animals communicate using signals, which can be chemical (pheromones), aural (sound), visual (courtship displays), or tactile (touch).

Altruistic behaviors may be explained by the natural instinct to improve the chances of passing on one's genes.

In mating, there are two types of selection (intersexual, intrasexual) and three mating systems (monogamous, polygynous, polyandrous).