Ethology ...

Ethology is the study of animal behavior.



Here is a very basic example of animal behavior.

To the casual observer, animals may seem to pass the time aimlessly--a bird sings from the treetops, a butterfly passes from flower to flower, or a hare racing across a meadow. But scientists have found that virtually all animal behavior has a purpose. The bird whose song seems so carefree, is trying to attract a mate; the butterfly fluttering from flower to flower, is searching for food; and the nimble rabbit is fleeing from a predator.

Now that is a VERY BASIC example, as it is usually alot more complicated then that, as ethology can be approached from an idiots level of understanding, or a geniuses level of understanding.

for instance, an idiots level of ethology, or a basic example, would be what i listed above. a geniuses level of ethology, or something much more complicated would be "the study of animal behavior naturally crosses boundaries between biology, psychology, neural science, anthropology and other disciplines".

As you can see ethology is somewhat complicated.

for further reading wikipedia has a somewhat thick interpretation of just what ethology is.
Ethology on Wikipedia