behavioral specialization
in animal behavior, adaptation to the conditions and challenges of a specific environment as applied to the selection of habitats, food, and mates. For example, when foraging for foods in competition with other species, those individuals that specialize in a few types of foods, known as “specialists,” are usually more efficient in finding and processing food than are generalists. Finches in the Galápagos Islands have diverged, some specializing on insects, others on seeds. Within each of these broad groupings, some specialize on larger and others on smaller food items. Although behavioral specialization provides a competitive advantage in stable environments, generalists can respond more quickly to changing environments. Highly endangered species tend to show specialization.