pecking

Pecking refers to the act of striking, picking, or biting with a beak in a series of quick, repeated motions. In birds, pecking is a common behavior used for foraging, exploration, and interaction with objects or surfaces. It can aid in breaking open seeds, probing crevices for insects, or preparing materials for nest building.

In the context of social behavior, pecking is closely associated with the concept of a pecking order. A pecking order is a social hierarchy that determines access to resources such as food, space, and mates within a group. Dominance relationships are established and maintained through displays and encounters that may include pecking, wing movements, or posturing. These hierarchies tend to reduce conflict by clarifying lines of access among individuals.

Beyond birds, the term pecking is used in finance to describe a theory of corporate funding behavior. The pecking order theory posits that firms prefer internal financing first, followed by debt, and finally equity, with decisions influenced by information asymmetry between managers and external investors and by transaction costs. While influential, the theory is descriptive rather than prescriptive and is frequently discussed alongside alternative explanations of financing choices.

Pecking can also refer to incidental damage caused by birds to crops, stored grains, or fruit, where repeated pecking creates physical damage or contamination. Agriculture and horticulture often employ deterrents and management strategies to minimize such loss.