Unit 4 Lesson 3 Vocabulary Adaptations and Behaviors in Animals

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Adaptation

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A characteristic that helps a living thing survive. Example: A dolphin has smooth skin, flippers, and fins to help it swim in the ocean.

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Physical adaptations

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BODY PARTS that help living things survive. Examples: Sharp teeth, talons, scales, eyesight, stingers, fur, venom, wings, legs, spikes, arms, and ears.

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Behavioral adaptations

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Things that living things DO to survive. Examples: Hibernation, migration, camouflage, hunt.

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Mimicry

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When one living thing looks like another living thing. Examples: Paper wasp and the hoverfly and housefly.

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Camouflage

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When an animal’s body matches its environment. Examples: An owl and the bark of a tree.

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Migration

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When animals move to different locations at certain times of the year to find food, reproduce, or escape cold weather. Example: Snow geese migrate south in autumn and north in spring.

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Hibernation

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When an animal is not active for a period of time that can last weeks. Examples: Ground squirrels, bears.

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Nocturnal

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Animals are active at night and sleep during the day. Example: Some species of bats.

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Instincts

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Behaviors that living things know how to do without being taught. Examples: Breathe, spin webs, being nocturnal, cry, howl, ink, growl.

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Life cycles

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The stages of growth and development that living things go through. Example: egg -> tadpole -> frog.