Structures built by animals

Structures built by non-human animals, often called animal architecture,^[1] are common in many species. Examples of animal structures include termite mounds, ant hills, wasp and beehives, burrow complexes, beaver dams, elaborate nests of birds, and webs of spiders.

Often, these structures incorporate sophisticated features such as temperature regulation, traps, bait, ventilation, special-purpose chambers and many other features. They may be created by individuals or complex societies of social animals with different forms carrying out specialized roles. These constructions may arise from complex building behaviour of animals such as in the case of night-time nests for chimpanzees,^[2] from inbuilt neural responses, which feature prominently in the construction of bird songs, or triggered by hormone release as in the case of domestic sows,^[3] or as emergent properties from simple instinctive responses and interactions, as exhibited by termites, or combinations of these.^[4] The process of building such structures may involve learning and communication,^[4] and in some cases, even aesthetics.^[5] Tool use may also be involved in building structures by animals.^[6]

Building behaviour is common in many non-human mammals, birds, insects and arachnids. It is also seen in a few species of fish, reptiles, amphibians, molluscs, urochordates, crustaceans, annelids and some other arthropods. It is virtually absent from all the other animal phyla.^[6]

^ Mandal, Fatik Baran (1 January 2010). Textbook of animal behaviour. PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd. p. 100. ISBN 978-81-203-4035-0. Retrieved 29 June 2011.
^ Wrangham, Richard W. (1996). Chimpanzee cultures. Chicago Academy of Sciences, Harvard University Press. p. 115. ISBN 978-0-674-11663-4. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
^ A.; L. (2009). "Behaviour and physiology". In Jensen, Per (ed.). The ethology of domestic animals: an introductory text. CABI. p. 34. ISBN 978-1-84593-536-8.
^ ^a ^b Gould, James L.; Gould, Carol Grant (12 March 2007). Animal architects: building and the evolution of intelligence. Basic Books. pp. 1–18. ISBN 978-0-465-02782-8. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
^ Frith, Clifford B.; Frith, Dawn W.; Barnes, Eustace (2004). The bowerbirds: Ptilonorhychidae. Oxford University Press. p. 12. ISBN 978-0-19-854844-7. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
^ ^a ^b Michael Henry Hansell (2005). Animal architecture. Oxford University Press. pp. 1–2. ISBN 978-0-19-850752-9. Retrieved 29 June 2011.

[Mandal2010-1] Mandal, Fatik Baran (1 January 2010). Textbook of animal behaviour. PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd. p. 100. ISBN 978-81-203-4035-0. Retrieved 29 June 2011.

[WranghamSciences1996-2] Wrangham, Richard W. (1996). Chimpanzee cultures. Chicago Academy of Sciences, Harvard University Press. p. 115. ISBN 978-0-674-11663-4. Retrieved 2 July 2011.

[Jensen2009-3] A.; L. (2009). "Behaviour and physiology". In Jensen, Per (ed.). The ethology of domestic animals: an introductory text. CABI. p. 34. ISBN 978-1-84593-536-8.

[GouldGould2007-4] Gould, James L.; Gould, Carol Grant (12 March 2007). Animal architects: building and the evolution of intelligence. Basic Books. pp. 1–18. ISBN 978-0-465-02782-8. Retrieved 1 July 2011.

[FrithFrith2004-5] Frith, Clifford B.; Frith, Dawn W.; Barnes, Eustace (2004). The bowerbirds: Ptilonorhychidae. Oxford University Press. p. 12. ISBN 978-0-19-854844-7. Retrieved 1 July 2011.

[Hansell2005-6] Michael Henry Hansell (2005). Animal architecture. Oxford University Press. pp. 1–2. ISBN 978-0-19-850752-9. Retrieved 29 June 2011.

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