A collage of 3 photographs: 1. A baby sandhill crane with its mother in the water. 2. A baby sandhill crane following its mother. 3. Sandhill cranes flying in the air.

FIGURE 29–5 Imprinting in the Wild These wild, baby sandhill cranes have imprinted on their mother and will follow her in flight.

Complex Behaviors

How do many complex behaviors arise?

Though behaviors may be learned, they often involve significant innate components. Many complex behaviors combine innate behavior with learning. Young white-crowned sparrows, for example, have an innate ability to recognize their own species' song and to distinguish it from the songs of other species. To sing their complete species-specific song, however, young birds must hear it sung by adults.

Another example of behavior with both innate and learned components is called imprinting. Some animals, such as birds, recognize and follow the first moving object that they see during a critical time in their early lives. This process is called imprinting. How does imprinting involve both innate and learned behavior? The young birds have an innate urge to follow the first moving object they see. But they are not born knowing what that object will look like, so they must learn from experience what to follow. Usually, birds such as cranes imprint on their mother, as shown in Figure 29–5.

Quick Lab
GUIDED INQUIRY

What Kind of Learning Is Practice?

  1. Draw straight lines on a piece of paper to divide it into several sections of different sizes and shapes. Then, cut the paper into sections along those lines.

  2. Shuffle the pieces, and then time another student as he or she tries to reassemble the pieces. Record how long it takes the student to do this task.

  3. Repeat step 2 three times. Construct a graph showing how the time needed to assemble the puzzle changed with repeated practice.

    Analyze and Conclude

  1. Analyze Data Explain the shape of your graph. How did the time needed to reassemble the pieces change with repeated trials?

  2. Draw Conclusions What kind of learning was displayed in this activity? Was it habituation, classical conditioning, operant conditioning, or some other kind of learning? Explain your answer.

End ofPage 844

Table of Contents

Miller & Levine Biology
About the Authors
Changing the World of Biology Education
Contents
Diversity of Life: A Visual Guide DOL•1–DOL•64
Labs and Activities
Features
UNIT 1 The Nature of Life
1 The Science of Biology
2 The Chemistry of Life
Unit Project
UNIT 2 Ecology
3 The Biosphere
4 Ecosystems and Communities
5 Populations
6 Humans in the Biosphere
Unit Project
UNIT 3 Cells
7 Cell Structure and Function
8 Photosynthesis
9 Cellular Respiration and Fermentation
10 Cell Growth and Division
Unit Project
UNIT 4 Genetics
11 Introduction to Genetics
12 DNA
13 RNA and Protein Synthesis
14 Human Heredity
15 Genetic Engineering
Unit Project
UNIT 5 Evolution
16 Darwin's Theory of Evolution
17 Evolution of Populations
18 Classification
19 History of Life
Unit Project
UNIT 6 From Microorganisms to Plants
20 Viruses and Prokaryotes
21 Protists and Fungi
22 Introduction to Plants
23 Plant Structure and Function
24 Plant Reproduction and Response
Unit Project
UNIT 7 Animals
25 Introduction to Animals
26 Animal Evolution and Diversity
27 Animal Systems I
28 Animal Systems II
29 Animal Behavior
Unit Project
UNIT 8 The Human Body
30 Digestive and Excretory Systems
31 Nervous System
32 Skeletal, Muscular, and Integumentary Systems
33 Circulatory and Respiratory Systems
34 Endocrine and Reproductive Systems
35 Immune System and Disease
Unit Project
A Visual Guide to The Diversity of Life
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE
THE TREE OF LIFE
Bacteria
Protists
Fungi
Plants
Animals
Appendices
Appendix A Science Skills
Appendix B Lab Skills
Appendix C Technology & Design
Appendix D Math Skills
Appendix E Periodic Table
Glossary
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q, R
S
T
U
V
W
X, Y, Z
Index
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
Credits
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