Table of contents
- 1. Introduction to Biology2h 42m
- 2. Chemistry3h 37m
- 3. Water1h 26m
- 4. Biomolecules2h 23m
- 5. Cell Components2h 26m
- 6. The Membrane2h 31m
- 7. Energy and Metabolism2h 0m
- 8. Respiration2h 40m
- 9. Photosynthesis2h 49m
- 10. Cell Signaling59m
- 11. Cell Division2h 47m
- 12. Meiosis2h 0m
- 13. Mendelian Genetics4h 44m
- Introduction to Mendel's Experiments7m
- Genotype vs. Phenotype17m
- Punnett Squares13m
- Mendel's Experiments26m
- Mendel's Laws18m
- Monohybrid Crosses19m
- Test Crosses14m
- Dihybrid Crosses20m
- Punnett Square Probability26m
- Incomplete Dominance vs. Codominance20m
- Epistasis7m
- Non-Mendelian Genetics12m
- Pedigrees6m
- Autosomal Inheritance21m
- Sex-Linked Inheritance43m
- X-Inactivation9m
- 14. DNA Synthesis2h 27m
- 15. Gene Expression3h 6m
- 16. Regulation of Expression3h 31m
- Introduction to Regulation of Gene Expression13m
- Prokaryotic Gene Regulation via Operons27m
- The Lac Operon21m
- Glucose's Impact on Lac Operon25m
- The Trp Operon20m
- Review of the Lac Operon & Trp Operon11m
- Introduction to Eukaryotic Gene Regulation9m
- Eukaryotic Chromatin Modifications16m
- Eukaryotic Transcriptional Control22m
- Eukaryotic Post-Transcriptional Regulation28m
- Eukaryotic Post-Translational Regulation13m
- 17. Viruses37m
- 18. Biotechnology2h 58m
- 19. Genomics17m
- 20. Development1h 5m
- 21. Evolution3h 1m
- 22. Evolution of Populations3h 52m
- 23. Speciation1h 37m
- 24. History of Life on Earth2h 6m
- 25. Phylogeny2h 31m
- 26. Prokaryotes4h 59m
- 27. Protists1h 12m
- 28. Plants1h 22m
- 29. Fungi36m
- 30. Overview of Animals34m
- 31. Invertebrates1h 2m
- 32. Vertebrates50m
- 33. Plant Anatomy1h 3m
- 34. Vascular Plant Transport1h 2m
- 35. Soil37m
- 36. Plant Reproduction47m
- 37. Plant Sensation and Response1h 9m
- 38. Animal Form and Function1h 19m
- 39. Digestive System1h 10m
- 40. Circulatory System1h 49m
- 41. Immune System1h 12m
- 42. Osmoregulation and Excretion50m
- 43. Endocrine System1h 4m
- 44. Animal Reproduction1h 2m
- 45. Nervous System1h 55m
- 46. Sensory Systems46m
- 47. Muscle Systems23m
- 48. Ecology3h 11m
- Introduction to Ecology20m
- Biogeography14m
- Earth's Climate Patterns50m
- Introduction to Terrestrial Biomes10m
- Terrestrial Biomes: Near Equator13m
- Terrestrial Biomes: Temperate Regions10m
- Terrestrial Biomes: Northern Regions15m
- Introduction to Aquatic Biomes27m
- Freshwater Aquatic Biomes14m
- Marine Aquatic Biomes13m
- 49. Animal Behavior28m
- 50. Population Ecology3h 41m
- Introduction to Population Ecology28m
- Population Sampling Methods23m
- Life History12m
- Population Demography17m
- Factors Limiting Population Growth14m
- Introduction to Population Growth Models22m
- Linear Population Growth6m
- Exponential Population Growth29m
- Logistic Population Growth32m
- r/K Selection10m
- The Human Population22m
- 51. Community Ecology2h 46m
- Introduction to Community Ecology2m
- Introduction to Community Interactions9m
- Community Interactions: Competition (-/-)38m
- Community Interactions: Exploitation (+/-)23m
- Community Interactions: Mutualism (+/+) & Commensalism (+/0)9m
- Community Structure35m
- Community Dynamics26m
- Geographic Impact on Communities21m
- 52. Ecosystems2h 36m
- 53. Conservation Biology24m
49. Animal Behavior
Animal Behavior
Problem 3
Textbook Question
Pheasants do not feed their chicks. Immediately after hatching, a pheasant chick starts pecking at seeds and insects on the ground. How might a behavioral ecologist explain the ultimate cause of this behavior?
a. Pecking is an innate behavior
b. Pheasants learned to peck, and their offspring inherited this behavior
c. Pecking by newly hatched chicks is the result of trial-and-error learning
d. Pecking is a result of imprinting during a sensitive period.

1
Step 1: Understand the question. The problem is asking about the ultimate cause of a pheasant chick's pecking behavior immediately after hatching. In biology, the 'ultimate cause' refers to the evolutionary reason or adaptive significance of a behavior, rather than the immediate mechanism (proximate cause).
Step 2: Analyze the options provided. Option (a) suggests that pecking is an innate behavior, meaning it is genetically programmed and does not require learning. Option (b) implies that the behavior is learned and inherited, which is not consistent with how learned behaviors are passed on (they are not genetically inherited). Option (c) suggests trial-and-error learning, which would require time and experience, not immediate behavior after hatching. Option (d) refers to imprinting, which is a learning process occurring during a sensitive period, but this does not align with the immediate pecking behavior.
Step 3: Evaluate the most likely explanation. Since the chicks begin pecking immediately after hatching without prior experience or learning, this strongly suggests that the behavior is innate. Innate behaviors are hardwired and have evolved because they provide a survival advantage, such as the ability to feed independently.
Step 4: Eliminate incorrect options. Option (b) is incorrect because learned behaviors are not inherited genetically. Option (c) is incorrect because trial-and-error learning requires time and experience, which is not observed here. Option (d) is incorrect because imprinting involves learning during a sensitive period, not an immediate innate response.
Step 5: Conclude that the correct explanation is option (a), as pecking is an innate behavior that has evolved to ensure the survival of the chicks by enabling them to feed immediately after hatching.

This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above
Video duration:
3mPlay a video:
Was this helpful?
Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Innate Behavior
Innate behavior refers to actions that are genetically hardwired and do not require learning or experience to be performed. These behaviors are typically present at birth and are crucial for survival, such as a chick's instinct to peck for food. This concept is essential for understanding why pheasant chicks can immediately start foraging after hatching.
Recommended video:
Guided course
Behavior
Learning and Inheritance
Learning and inheritance involve the transmission of behaviors from parents to offspring through experience and genetic factors. In the context of pheasants, this concept explores whether chicks learn to peck through observation or if they inherit the ability to perform this behavior from their parents. Understanding this distinction helps clarify the mechanisms behind the chicks' foraging behavior.
Recommended video:
Guided course
Autosomal Inheritance
Imprinting
Imprinting is a form of rapid learning that occurs during a critical period shortly after birth, where young animals form attachments and learn specific behaviors from their environment or caregivers. In pheasants, imprinting could influence their foraging behavior if they learn to associate certain stimuli with food. This concept is vital for evaluating how early experiences shape the chicks' feeding habits.
Recommended video:
Guided course
Learning and Communication
Related Videos
Related Practice