Animal Vigilance is a comprehensive review of this aspect of the field of animal behavior. This text is designed for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as faculty with an interest in the topic. It begins by defining vigilance and the scope of this particular review, and provides a guide for students looking for research guidance. Beauchamp warns against some of the anthropomorphic terminology that still pervades in animal behavior, and provides a table that compares this language with the more suitable language of the field. I found this to be exceptionally helpful as I gained my footing with this subject, which I studied in college, but have not been involved in since.
After providing an overview of the field, Beauchamp explains why animals engage in vigilance, both from a proximate and an ultimate perspective. These reasons range from levels of corticosteroids and the acuity of vision (proximate) to maintenance...
University of California Press