Visual Communication

o During mating season the male goldfinch has a bright yellow body. The bright colors tell
a prospective mate that the male is a suitable choice.

Nonbreeding male-https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/assets/photo/63737391-
480px.jpg

Breeding male - https://www.lyricbirdfood.com/media/1559/gettyimages-538162108.jpg?

crop=0.0972379636138726,0.36408195008344846,0.18543279661165732,0.074864108807233889&cropmode=percentage&width=700&height=3
65&rnd=132084442810000000

o Certain insects and deep sea fishes communicate via their light signals
https:// rsvpa.witf.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/7-2-19firefly.jpg
anglerfish-https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ca/4e/e0/ca4ee0d3b8462c69584861033d2598b2.jpg

o Some mammal species give specific signals by the position adopted by head, ears and
tail.

https://barkpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/dog_body_language1.jpg

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/b2/f5/2d/b2f52d4241884c4a0d30d6a8bd483a5c.png
Auditory Communication
o Humpback Whale singing at southern ocean feeding grounds.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/Humpback-Whale-Song-on-the-Southern-Ocean-Feeding-Grounds-Implications-
for-Cultural-Transmission-pone.0079422.s005.oga
o Red squirrels use a series of rattles, screeches and yips to warn intruders to stay away
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6y3moxAtXQ
o dolphins use auditory communication to set themselves apart from others -- a unique
whistle that also helps them locate food
https://vnexpress.net/chien-thuat-san-moi-theo-nhom-cua-ca-heo-3936366.html

Tactile Communication
o horses will kick each other to ward off threats or when competing for a mate

https://kienthuc.net.vn/khoa-hoc-cong-nghe/khoc-liet-canh-ngua-hoang-dau-da-gianh-nguoi-tinh-1270016.html
o Female primates often hold and frequently cuddle their young. Helps in establishing a
bond. https://i.pinimg.com/originals/dc/81/1f/dc811f1683e99362676493cc6aaf932d.jpg
o
 o in many primate species, members of a group will
groom one another—removing parasites and
performing other hygiene tasks. This largely tactile
behavior reinforces cooperation and social bonds
among group members.
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/behavioral-biology/animal-
behavior/a/animal-communication
Image credit: Macaca fuscata, social
grooming by Noneotuho

Chemical Communication
o Skunks are most commonly known for their ‘spray’ – an oily liquid they releases from

their rear end when they feel threatened.

https://www.scienceabc.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Skunk-spraying.jpg
o The diagram below shows pheromone trails laid down by ants to direct others in the
colony to sources of food. When a food source is rich, ants will deposit pheromone on
both the outgoing and return legs of their trip, building up the trail and attracting more
ants. When the food source is about to run out, the ants will stop adding pheromone on
the way back, letting the trail fade out.

Pheromone: a chemical substance produced and released into the environment by an animal,
especially a mammal or an insect, affecting the behavior or physiology of others of its species.

Image credit: Knapsack ants by Dake