Don't let the great snipe's pudginess fool you. A stocky marsh bird with a 20-inch wingspan, great snipes are also speedy marathoners that can migrate from Sweden to Central Africa in just three days, without even stopping ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 30, 2021
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The sharp eyes of an eagle, the extraordinary hearing of an owl—to successfully find food, the eyes and ears of birds have adapted optimally to their living conditions. Until now, the sense of smell has played a rather ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 21, 2021
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15
Human laughter is common, but it's a somewhat mysterious part of our evolution. It's clear to evolutionary scholars that we laugh as a part of play, signaling our cooperation or friendliness. But how did laughter evolve? ...
Plants & Animals
May 7, 2021
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A social behavior known as the "audience effect" has long been reported among humans. From children tussling on a playground to a sports team's home field advantage, competitors can be influenced by who is watching.
Plants & Animals
Apr 21, 2021
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30
Researchers at the University of Konstanz and Max Planck Institute for Animal Behavior in Germany have found that birds are able to change their culture to become more efficient. Populations of great tits were able to switch ...
Plants & Animals
Apr 6, 2021
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A novel analysis of encounters between albatross and commercial fishing vessels across the North Pacific Ocean is giving researchers important new understanding about seabird-vessel interactions that could help reduce harmful ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 25, 2021
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Biologists often study animal sociality by collecting observations about several types of behavioral interactions. These interactions can be things like severe fights, minor fights, cooperative food sharing, or grooming each ...
Plants & Animals
Jan 26, 2021
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30
People aren't the only ones who show sympathy. Birds also seem to care about the fate of conspecifics. They notice how much food the others already have and then share theirs with individuals that were not given any. "They ...
Plants & Animals
Oct 9, 2020
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What do songbirds and humans have in common? We crave social interaction, and the chemical rewards that flood our brain when we get it.
Plants & Animals
Oct 2, 2020
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42
A new study shows how differentiation of a single gene changes behavior in a wild songbird, determining whether the white-throated sparrow displays more, or less, aggression. The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ...
Plants & Animals
Aug 18, 2020
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