Chapter 33, Problem 14STP

Summary Introduction

To explain:

Why chicks cannot be fed by anyone except their mother.

Introduction:

Animal behavior is one of the most important subjects of study when it comes to learning about them. With the study of animal behavior, one can easily determine the type of food that it will eat, their mating style, and even their habitats.

Explanation of Solution

In the living world, we see a large number of microorganisms, animals and plants. These organisms possess some unique characteristics in terms of morphology and behavior that distinguishes them from others. This diversity in the living world is called biodiversity.

Whooping crane chicks take food only from their mother. If one feeds them by other means, the chicks do not take it. A possible explanation for this is because the newly born chicks identify their mothers with the help of special chemicals released from their mother’s body called pheromones. The pheromones are similar in the case of mother and children and help each other identify self and distinguish non-self.

Conclusion

Pheromones are chemicals that help creatures identify self and non-self babies.