Animal Behavior
Animal Behavior
Articles tagged with "Animal Behavior"
A new book finds parenting inspiration in the animal kingdom
Looking to creatures from burying beetles to spotted hyenas, The Creatures’ Guide to Caring explores what it means to be a good parent.
Cicadas use darkness cues from shadows to move toward trees
When periodical cicadas surface after years underground, they don’t grope blindly for trees. They head for the shadows , researchers report March 20 in the American Naturalist .
Male octopus has ‘sex arm’ that can mate in the dark
Scientists found that the male’s hectocotylus, the specialized arm for mating, is lined with receptors that can sense hormones from the female.
Scientists film whale giving birth while other whales work together to help her
Scientists have managed to film a sperm whale giving birth while other female whales worked together to support the mother and her newborn.
Secrets of the bees: Revealing the sneaky genius of nature's brightest thinkers
New science is showing that nature’s vital pollinators are smarter than we ever imagined. Here’s why that discovery should change what we think about one of the world’s most important animals.
Scientists recorded a sperm whale birth up close for the first time. They discovered something extraordinary.
The marine mammals act like midwives, supporting mothers and their calves through delivery.
Old fire hoses are a blast with Whipsnade Zoo's animals
Decommissioned hoses from a fire service prove to be a paw-some addition to enclosures at a zoo.
Watch sperm whale headbutt another for no apparent reason
Scientists have captured first-of-its-kind footage of a sperm whale violently headbutting another sperm whale out of the blue. Researchers filmed the clip with a drone during fieldwork off the Azores and Balearic Islands.
What animal are you? Humans and animals tend to like the same mating calls
Your taste in music may feel unique, but there may be something more biologically innate driving your acoustic choices: A new study found that animals and humans tend to prefer many of the same mating calls.
A bonobo’s imaginary tea party hints that apes can pretend
Kanzi would sometimes play with imaginary juice and grapes, just as humans might. The bonobo's ability challenges old ideas about how animals think.
Oldest-known whale song recording provides new insight into ocean sounds
A haunting whale song discovered on decades-old audio equipment could open up a new understanding of how the huge animals communicate, according to researchers who say it is the oldest such recording known.
Bonobos are just as aggressive as chimps, but there's a key difference — the female bonobos
A new study of chimpanzee and bonobo groups at zoos reveals similar levels of aggression. However, scientists found stark sex-based differences between the species.
Why do gulls steal our food? Scientists experimented with French fries to find out.
Gulls are often seen as intruders in our daily lives. But researchers are discovering what really motivates them—and strategies to keep them away from your lunch. Herring gulls ( Larus argentatus ) feeding on discarded chips in Blackpool, United Kingdom.
Will humans and animals ever be able to converse? Here’s what science says.
In the movie Hoppers, scientists “hop” human consciousness into animal-like robots to talk to other species. We asked the experts their thoughts on how conceivable the plot is.
Humpback whale recovery is changing who fathers the calves
A new study shows that as humpback whale populations recover from past whaling, older males are gaining a major advantage in reproduction.
Animals’ personalities can affect a species’ survival
From bold foxes to shy parrots, animals’ personalities are increasingly being seen as key to saving species.
Cockroaches that eat each other’s wings turn into a fierce fighting force
The wood-feeding cockroach’s cannibalistic love bites lead to a lasting bond. Afterward, the pair prefer each other over all other roaches.
'We're starting to find a lot more weirdness': These strange animals can control their body heat
Some creatures can dramatically alter their internal temperature — a strategy called heterothermy — and outlast storms, floods and predators.
As toddlers, chimps are major risk takers
Human kiddos are generally too closely supervised to be able to monkey around as much as young chimps. Instead, older kids — teens — are usually the bigger risk takers.
Here’s how honeyeaters and other birds thrive on sugary diets
To eat a sugar-filled diet, birds had to evolve some sweet genetic tricks. Birds that feed on nectar and fruits have important variants in genes that control metabolism , fat processing and even blood pressure.
Keeping a beat wins caterpillars friends in low places
Some caterpillars speak ant by rocking to a beat. By jiggling like a cellphone receiving a call while on vibrate, the caterpillars cozy up to ants, reaping benefits for them both .
Scientists find genetic 'switch' in mice that turns caring dads into violent brutes
An African striped mouse father huddles with some of his pups. (Image credit: C. Todd Reichart / Princeton University (Department of Molecular Biology)) Flipping a single genetic switch can make doting dads attack their offspring, at least in African striped mice, new research suggests.
Meet Tatu and Loulis—the last of the 'talking' chimpanzees
Lazing outside her home in the Montréal suburb of Carignan on a breezy day in June, Tatu the chimpanzee notices she has visitors. She slowly ambles over, peers downward at the onlookers, and draws her right index finger across her forehead.
Kanzi the bonobo could play pretend — a trait thought unique to humans
Past anecdotal observations have hinted that great apes play pretend. But now, experimental research shows that our closest living relatives can keep track of imaginary objects.
Can bonobos use their imagination?
In a series of tea party-like experiments, a bonobo was able to identify imaginary juice and grapes. Kanzi was a famous bonobo who could understand spoken English and taught scientists a lot about primate behavior. He participated in experiments about imagination before his death in 2025.
A new book finds parenting inspiration in the animal kingdom
Looking to creatures from burying beetles to spotted hyenas, The Creatures’ Guide to Caring explores what it means to be a good parent.
Cicadas use darkness cues from shadows to move toward trees
When periodical cicadas surface after years underground, they don’t grope blindly for trees. They head for the shadows , researchers report March 20 in the American Naturalist .
Male octopus has ‘sex arm’ that can mate in the dark
Scientists found that the male’s hectocotylus, the specialized arm for mating, is lined with receptors that can sense hormones from the female.
Scientists film whale giving birth while other whales work together to help her
Scientists have managed to film a sperm whale giving birth while other female whales worked together to support the mother and her newborn.
Secrets of the bees: Revealing the sneaky genius of nature's brightest thinkers
New science is showing that nature’s vital pollinators are smarter than we ever imagined. Here’s why that discovery should change what we think about one of the world’s most important animals.
Scientists recorded a sperm whale birth up close for the first time. They discovered something extraordinary.
The marine mammals act like midwives, supporting mothers and their calves through delivery.
Old fire hoses are a blast with Whipsnade Zoo's animals
Decommissioned hoses from a fire service prove to be a paw-some addition to enclosures at a zoo.
Watch sperm whale headbutt another for no apparent reason
Scientists have captured first-of-its-kind footage of a sperm whale violently headbutting another sperm whale out of the blue. Researchers filmed the clip with a drone during fieldwork off the Azores and Balearic Islands.
What animal are you? Humans and animals tend to like the same mating calls
Your taste in music may feel unique, but there may be something more biologically innate driving your acoustic choices: A new study found that animals and humans tend to prefer many of the same mating calls.
A bonobo’s imaginary tea party hints that apes can pretend
Kanzi would sometimes play with imaginary juice and grapes, just as humans might. The bonobo's ability challenges old ideas about how animals think.
Oldest-known whale song recording provides new insight into ocean sounds
A haunting whale song discovered on decades-old audio equipment could open up a new understanding of how the huge animals communicate, according to researchers who say it is the oldest such recording known.
Bonobos are just as aggressive as chimps, but there's a key difference — the female bonobos
A new study of chimpanzee and bonobo groups at zoos reveals similar levels of aggression. However, scientists found stark sex-based differences between the species.
Why do gulls steal our food? Scientists experimented with French fries to find out.
Gulls are often seen as intruders in our daily lives. But researchers are discovering what really motivates them—and strategies to keep them away from your lunch. Herring gulls ( Larus argentatus ) feeding on discarded chips in Blackpool, United Kingdom.
Will humans and animals ever be able to converse? Here’s what science says.
In the movie Hoppers, scientists “hop” human consciousness into animal-like robots to talk to other species. We asked the experts their thoughts on how conceivable the plot is.
Humpback whale recovery is changing who fathers the calves
A new study shows that as humpback whale populations recover from past whaling, older males are gaining a major advantage in reproduction.
Animals’ personalities can affect a species’ survival
From bold foxes to shy parrots, animals’ personalities are increasingly being seen as key to saving species.
Cockroaches that eat each other’s wings turn into a fierce fighting force
The wood-feeding cockroach’s cannibalistic love bites lead to a lasting bond. Afterward, the pair prefer each other over all other roaches.
'We're starting to find a lot more weirdness': These strange animals can control their body heat
Some creatures can dramatically alter their internal temperature — a strategy called heterothermy — and outlast storms, floods and predators.
As toddlers, chimps are major risk takers
Human kiddos are generally too closely supervised to be able to monkey around as much as young chimps. Instead, older kids — teens — are usually the bigger risk takers.
Here’s how honeyeaters and other birds thrive on sugary diets
To eat a sugar-filled diet, birds had to evolve some sweet genetic tricks. Birds that feed on nectar and fruits have important variants in genes that control metabolism , fat processing and even blood pressure.
Keeping a beat wins caterpillars friends in low places
Some caterpillars speak ant by rocking to a beat. By jiggling like a cellphone receiving a call while on vibrate, the caterpillars cozy up to ants, reaping benefits for them both .
Scientists find genetic 'switch' in mice that turns caring dads into violent brutes
An African striped mouse father huddles with some of his pups. (Image credit: C. Todd Reichart / Princeton University (Department of Molecular Biology)) Flipping a single genetic switch can make doting dads attack their offspring, at least in African striped mice, new research suggests.
Meet Tatu and Loulis—the last of the 'talking' chimpanzees
Lazing outside her home in the Montréal suburb of Carignan on a breezy day in June, Tatu the chimpanzee notices she has visitors. She slowly ambles over, peers downward at the onlookers, and draws her right index finger across her forehead.
Kanzi the bonobo could play pretend — a trait thought unique to humans
Past anecdotal observations have hinted that great apes play pretend. But now, experimental research shows that our closest living relatives can keep track of imaginary objects.
Can bonobos use their imagination?
In a series of tea party-like experiments, a bonobo was able to identify imaginary juice and grapes. Kanzi was a famous bonobo who could understand spoken English and taught scientists a lot about primate behavior. He participated in experiments about imagination before his death in 2025.
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