Presentation on animal communication

7/27/2019 Presentation on animal communication

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Communication of Birds &

Animals

Presented by:

Group 3


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Animal communication Introduction

Animal communication is any behaviour on the part of one

animal that has an effect on the current or future behaviour ofanother animal. The study of animal communication

sometimes called Zoosemiotics.

Metacommunications: signals that modify the meaning of

subsequent signals. The best known example is the play faceand tail signals in dogs, which indicate that a subsequent

aggressive signal is part of a play fight rather than a serious

aggressive episode.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dogs_roughhousing_by_David_Shankbone.jpg


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Forms of communication

Gesture

Facial expression

Gaze following

Vocalization

Olfactory communication

Bioluminescence

Electrocommunication


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Functions of communication

Agonistic interaction

Mating rituals

Ownership/territorial

Food-related signals

Alarm calls

Meta-communications


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Interpretation of animal

communication Excitement

Anticipation

Playfulness

Contentment/enjoyment

Relaxation or anxiety

Questioning another animal or a human as to intentions Tentative role assessment on meeting another animal

Reassurance ("I'm hoping to be friendly, are you?")

Brief acknowledgement ("I hear you", or "I'm aware and responsive if youwant my attention")

Statement of interest ("I want that (food/toy/activity), if you're willing") Uncertainty/apprehension

Submissive placation (if worried by a more dominant animal)


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Intraspecies communication:

The majority of animal communication occurs within a single

species, and this is the context in which it has been most

intensively studied.

Most of the forms and functions of communication described

above are relevant to intra-species communication.


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Interspecies communication

Many examples of communication take place between

members of different species. Animals communicate to other

animals with various signs: visual, sound, echolocation, body

language, and smell.


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Prey to predator:

If a prey animal moves or makes a noise in such a way that a

predator can detect and capture it, that fits the definition of

"communication" given above. This type of communication is

known as interceptive eavesdropping, where a predator

intercepts the message being conveyed to conspecifics.


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Predator to prey:

Some predators communicate to prey in ways that change their

behaviour and make them easier to catch, in effect deceiving

them. A well-known example is the angler fish, which has a

fleshy growth protruding from its forehead and dangling in

front of its jaws; smaller fish try to take the lure, and in so

doing are perfectly placed for the angler fish to eat them.


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Animal Systems of Communication

Birds have two types of sound signals--calls and songs

Bird calls consist of one or more short notes and seem to be

instinctive responses to danger, nesting, flocking and a few

other basic situations. The English sparrow has three flight

calls-- one used just before takeoff, another during flight, and

one just before landing at a nesting site. Sparrows have two

types of danger calls, one to announce that a predator is

nearby--like an owl in a tree-- and the other to announce that a

predator is soaring overhead. These calls seem intended tocoordinate group activity in specific situations. The meanings

of these signs constitute a small, finite set which can't be

increased. And bird calls cannot be varied to produce

variations of meaning.


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Bird songs are used primarily by males to attract mates or

establish territory. Bird songs are limited to these and only

these functions. Although bird songs are longer than bird calls,

their internal elements aren't separable into meaningful units

and cannot be rearranged to produce new songs.


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In the 1960's Karl von Frisch discovered that the Italian

honeybee performs three types of dances on the wall of the

hive to communicate to other bees the source of nectar.


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The round dance is performed to indicate that the source of

nectar is within 20 feet of the hive; the richness of the source is

indicated by intensity of movement and by the number of

repetition; direction from the hive is not indicated.


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The sickle dance is performed to indicate that the source of

nectar is within 20-60 feet from the hive; again, the richness of

the source is indicated by intensity of movement; the angle

with respect to gravity denotes the direction in relation to the

sun.


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The tail-wagging dance is performed to indicate that the

source of nectar is beyond 60 feet from the hive (80 feet in the

Austrian honeybee). It imparts all the information of the sickle

dance plus indicates the precise distance by the number of

repetitions per minute--the slower the repetition the farther thedistance.


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Elephant Communication system
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Three_elephant's_curly_kisses.jpg


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Touching is an important form of communication among

elephants. Individuals greet one another by stroking or

wrapping around each other's trunks. Entwining trunks are also

made during mild competition.


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Elephants also communicate with visual displays, mostly in

agonistic situations. They will try to appear more threatening

by raising their heads and spreading their ears. They may also

add to the display by shaking their heads and snapping their

ears, as well as throwing dust and vegetation. Elephants areusually bluffing when performing these actions. Excited

elephants may additionally raise their trunks. Submissive

elephants will lower their heads and trunks, as well as flatten

their ears against their necks, while those that accept achallenge will position their ears in a V shape.


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THANK YOU

Presentation on animal communication

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