Keep out!
Some animals hunt for food in many different places and sleep wherever
they happen to be. But other animals always sleep and hunt in the same
place. This place is their territory.
A dragonfly’s territory is a space about as big as a room. An owl’s
territory may be a meadow or part of a woods. An ape family’s territory
is usually several hundred trees in a jungle. Even some kinds of fish
have territories in which they swim about and never leave.
Most animals guard their territories. Some of them even put “Keep Out”
signs on the edges of their territories. Deer, bears, and many other
animals rub against trees and leave a smell that says “Keep Out” to
others. A wolverine puts a “Keep Off” smell on any food it finds, but
doesn’t eat, in its territory. The songs of many birds are a way of
saying “Keep out of my territory” to other birds.
If too many of the same kind of animals lived in one territory, there
might not be enough food for all. So most animals try to keep animals
like themselves out of their territory. Some animals won’t even let
their own young stay in the territory after they grow up.
Animals don’t seem to mind if different kinds of animals share their
territory. But if an animal like themselves tries to move in—they will
fight to keep it out.
Mockingbirds defend their territory. So when this owl came into its
territory, the mockingbird attacked.
With a hard peck the mockingbird lets the surprised owl know that it
better keep out of mockingbird territory.
Mockingbird and Great Horned Owl
