Everything about Herd totally explained
A
herd is a large group of animals. The term is usually applied to mammals, particularly
ungulates. Other terms are used for similar phenomena in other types of animal. For example, a large group of birds is usually called a
flock (this may also refer to certain mammals as well) and a large group of
carnivores is usually called a
pack. In addition, special
collective nouns may be used for particular taxa: for example a flock of geese, if not in flight, is sometimes called a
gaggle. However, in theoretical discussions in behavioural ecology, the generic term "herd" is used for all these kinds of assemblage. A herd may also refer to one that tends and cares for such groups (for example shepherds tend to sheep, and goatherds tend to goats, etc.).
When an association of animals (or, by extension, people) is described as a "herd", the implication is that the group tends to act together (for example, all moving in the same direction at a given time), but that this doesn't occur as a result of planning or co-ordination. Rather, each individual is choosing behaviour that corresponds to that of the majority of other members, possibly through imitation or possibly because all are responding to the same external circumstances. A herd can be contrasted with a co-ordinated group where individuals have distinct roles. Many human groupings, such as an army detachments or sports teams, show such co-ordination and differentiation of roles, but so do some animal groupings such as those of
eusocial insects, which are co-ordinated through
pheromones and other forms of
animal communication. Conversely, some human groupings may behave more like herds.
Why do animals herd?
The question of why animals group together is one of the most fundamental in
sociobiology and
behavioural ecology. As noted above, the term "herd" is most commonly used of grazing animals such as ungulates, and in these cases it's believed that the strongest selective pressure leading to herding rather than a solitary existence is protection against predators. There is clearly a tradeoff involved, since on the one hand a predator may hesitate to attack a large group of animals, while on the other a large group offers an easily detected target. It is generally believed that the most important protective factor is risk dilution - even if a predator attacks the herd, the risk for any individual that it'll be the victim is greatly reduced. In the case of predators, it's often unclear whether the term "herd" is appropriate, since there may be some degree of co-ordination or role differentiation in group hunting. Predator groups are commonly smaller than grazing groups, since although a pack may be more effective at pulling down prey than a single animal, the prey then has to be shared between all members, so that the weaker animals will often be better off hunting smaller prey on their own.
The structure and size of herds
A herd is by definition relatively unstructured. However, there may be one or a few animals which tend to be imitated by the rest of the members of the herd more than others. An animal taking this role is called a "control animal", since its behaviour will predict that of the herd as a whole. It can't be assumed, however, that the control animal is deliberately taking a leadership role. Control animals are not necessarily, or even usually, those that are
socially dominant in conflict situations, though they frequently are.
Group size is an important characterestic of the social environment of gregarious species.
Domestic herds
Domestic animal herds are assembled by humans for practicality in raising them and controlling them. Their behaviour may be quite different from that of wild herds of the same or related species, since both their composition (in terms of the distribution of age and sex within the herd) and their history (in terms of when and how the individuals joined the herd) are likely to be very different.
Human parallels
The term
herd is also applied metaphorically to human beings in
social psychology, with the concept of
herd behaviour. However both the term and concepts that underlie its use are controversial.
The term has acquired a semi-technical usage in
behavioral finance to describe the largest group of market
investors or market
speculators who tend to 'move with the market,' or 'follow the general market trend.' This is at least a plausible example of genuine herding, though according to some researchers it results from rational decisions through processes such as
information cascade and
rational expectations. Other researchers, however, ascribe it to non-rational process such as
mimicry, fear and greed
contagion. "Contrarians" or
contrarian investors are those who deliberately choose to invest or speculate counter to the "herd".
Further Information
Get more info on 'Herd'.
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