Video Transcript
Which of the following is an
example of a behavioral adaptation? (A) A stick insect camouflaging to
its surroundings. (B) The long beak of a hummingbird
used to extract nectar from flowers. (C) The large ears of a fennec fox
that allow heat loss. Or (D) birds migrating in the
winter.
This question is asking us to
figure out which of the answer options is describing an example of a behavioral
adaptation. Let’s start by exploring what a
behavioral adaptation is before we take a look at the different answer options.
A behavioral adaptation is a
specific action or behavior that an organism performs that makes it well suited to
its specific environment and often helps it to survive. Which of the answer options show an
example of this? The stick insect camouflaging or
blending in to its surroundings is not showing an action or behavior an organism
takes to aid its survival. Instead, its physical appearance is
adapted to protect it against predators. This is an example of a different
type of adaptation, a structural adaptation.
A structural adaptation is a
special physical feature of an organism that makes it well suited to its
environment. For example, a hummingbird’s long
beak is also a structural adaptation, as it is a physical feature that helps the
hummingbird to be well suited to its environment. Specifically, the long beak aids
hummingbirds’ survival by allowing them to obtain food in the form of a sugary fluid
produced by certain flowers called nectar. Similarly, the large ears of a
fennec fox that help it to lose excess heat are a physical feature. These large ears are, therefore, a
structural adaptation in response to the intense heat of the deserts in which the
fennec fox lives.
As options (A), (B), and (C) are
all structural adaptations, not behavioral adaptations, they can all be eliminated
from our answer choices. Option (D) concerns the migration
of birds in the winter. This involves birds or any other
migrating animals moving vast distances in large groups from one region to another
in response to seasonal changes in environmental conditions.
Migration is an action an organism
might take to help their survival. By moving to warmer climates in the
colder months of the year, they can more reliably obtain food and other
resources. Therefore, migration is an example
of a behavioral adaptation.
So, the correct answer to this
question is (D), birds migrating in the winter.
