Activated abilities are those that you pay some cost to make the effect happen (whether that be tapping it, paying mana, sacrificing a creature, wwhatever. These don’t just happen on their own; some has to decide to make it happen.

What counts as an activated ability magic?

An activated ability is an ability that can be activated by paying its activation cost, which often includes mana or tapping but can have many other components.

What is an activated ability that isn’t a mana ability?

A mana ability in Magic is any activated or triggered ability that can add mana to your mana pool and satisfies this criteria: Abilities with targets can’t be mana abilities. Deathrite Shaman first ability is not a mana ability. Planeswalker loyalty abilities can’t be mana abilities.