Behavior
Alarm Calls
Vocalizations produced by animals to warn others of predator presence. Often encode specific information about predator type, size, and threat level.
Biological Context
Vervet monkeys have distinct calls for eagles, leopards, and snakes, each triggering appropriate escape behavior. Prairie dogs encode predator species, size, shape, and speed. Alarm calls often appear altruistic but may benefit the caller through kin protection or predator deterrence.
Business Application
Market alarm calls: analyst downgrades, whistleblower reports, competitor announcements. Effective organizations distinguish between signal types and respond appropriately rather than treating all warnings identically.