Observing, recording, and interpreting animal behavior

Observing Animal Behaviour

Observing animal behaviour means being a careful and systematic observer, taking note of what an animal is doing, as well as any reactions to certain situations.
Observations should be made without influence, avoiding any interference with the animal’s natural behaviour.
It’s important to be patient when observing animals as behaviours can be infrequent or subtle.
To ensure accuracy, observation and data collection should be systematic and consistent, regardless of the animal or behaviour being studied.

Recording Animal Behaviour

Recording the observed behaviours is a crucial step in the study of animal behaviour to ensure that data can be later analysed and interpreted.
The use of ethograms, a table used to record and observe predefined behaviours, can be extremely beneficial in the systematic recording of animal behaviours.
The observer should also record the context of behaviour, including environmental conditions, presence of other animals, and any other factors that may influence behaviour.
Methods of recording can include written notes, photography, video recordings, or sound recordings, with the best method depending on the type of behaviour observed.

Interpreting Animal Behaviour

Interpreting the data collected involves identifying patterns or trends in the behaviour and finding explanations for these behaviours.
This step involves analysing the frequency, duration, and intensity of behaviours to determine the significance of each.
Interpretation should consider both the species-typical behaviours, as well as any individual-specific behaviour.
Understanding the influence of various factors such as genetics, environment, physiology, and learned behaviours enables the accurate interpretation of animal behaviours.
Caution should be taken not to anthropomorphise - assign human characteristics or behaviours to animals – when interpreting observed behaviours. Instead, interpretations should be based purely on the observed facts.