What is a releaser?
Q: What is a releaser?
A: A releaser is a stimulus from one animal to another which causes a particular response. It triggers an innate releasing mechanism in the receiver, resulting in the receiver doing its response, known as the fixed action pattern (FAP).
Q: How are these behaviours inherited?
A: These behaviours are inherited and not learnt during life. The FAP can be said to be 'hard-wired' because it results in the same behavioural response when triggered by a specific stimulus.
Q: What is an example of this behaviour?
A: An example of this kind of behaviour is when a fledgling bird squawks and opens its beak wide, showing bright red inside throat which triggers the adult to cough up food stored in its gullet.
Q: What do water birds such as Great Crested Grebes do?
A: Water birds such as Great Crested Grebes perform 'dances' whenever they meet up after an absence or on other occasions. The dances are quite complex and were first described fully by Julian Huxley. The meeting acts as the releaser for both partners who then perform their fixed action pattern.
Q: What is the purpose of this system?
A: It is believed that this system helps reinforce the pair's bond but it does not necessarily benefit both partners nor need them to be of same species.
Q: Can you give another example of an inherited behaviour?
A: Another example of an inherited behaviour is when moths instantly fold their wings and drop to ground if they encounter bat ultrasonic signals; helping them but obviously not benefiting bats who turn off sound blips when they hear moths and glide in last few feet - this may be better described as reflex action.
