(The total of) characteristic and repeatedly occurring features in bird activities or attitude. Many factors influence the development of behaviour patterns, and they may change when the bird matures. The study of behavioural patterns is called ethology. Two types of behaviour can be distinguished: instinctive behaviour (information that is stored in the birds' genetic material and 'automatically' performed) and learned behaviour (knowledge that is transfered by a learning process e.g., imprinting). Aggressive responses, courtship, nest-building and parenthood all have distinctive patterns. See also 'display(ing)'.