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In the English language, many animals have different names depending on whether they are male, female, young, domesticated, or in groups. The best-known source of many English words used for collective groupings of animals is The Book of Saint Albans , an essay on hunting published in 1486 and attributed to Juliana Berners . [ 1 ]
A herd is a social group of certain animals of the same species, either wild or domestic. The form of collective animal behavior associated with this is called herding. These animals are known as gregarious animals. The term herd is generally applied to mammals, and most particularly to the grazing ungulates that classically display this behaviour.
Group of black-capped chickadees feeding at a bird feeder. Bird species living in a flock may capture prey, likely injured, from an unsuccessful bird within its flock. [2] This behavior is known as the beater effect and is one of the benefits of birds foraging in a flock with other birds. [2]
Terminology of animal groups also varies among different taxonomic groups. Groups of sheep are termed herds, whilst groups of birds are referred to as colonies, or flocks. Most studies on group living focus strictly on groups comprising a single species. However, many mixed-species groups commonly occur in nature.
Birds have one of the most complex respiratory systems of all animal groups. [78] Upon inhalation, 75% of the fresh air bypasses the lungs and flows directly into a posterior air sac which extends from the lungs and connects with air spaces in the bones and fills them with air. The other 25% of the air goes directly into the lungs.
A large congregation of individuals of one or more species of bird that nest or roost in proximity at a particular location. Many kinds of birds are known to congregate in groups of varying size; a congregation of nesting birds is called a breeding colony. A group of birds congregating for rest is called a communal roost.
The Bird Island Nature Reserve in Lambert's Bay, Western Cape, South Africa. A bird colony is a large congregation of individuals of one or more species of bird that nest or roost in proximity at a particular location. Many kinds of birds are known to congregate in groups of varying size; a congregation of nesting birds is called a breeding colony.
Flocking is the behavior exhibited when a group of birds, called a flock, are foraging or in flight. Sheep and goats also exhibit flocking behavior. Computer simulations and mathematical models that have been developed to emulate the flocking behaviours of birds can also generally be applied to the "flocking" behaviour of other species.