Animal behavior is the scientific study of the observable actions, interactions, and behavioral patterns of animals, typically investigated within ethology, behavioral ecology, and comparative psychology. It encompasses mechanisms (proximate causes such as neural, hormonal, and genetic control), development (ontogeny and learning), function (adaptive value in survival and reproductive success), and evolution (phylogenetic history and divergence among taxa). Research on animal behavior quantifies activities such as foraging, mating systems, parental care, communication, social organization, and antipredator strategies, often integrating experimental, observational, and modeling approaches to understand how behavior emerges from organism–environment interactions and contributes to fitness and ecological dynamics.
New research from Te Herenga Waka Ph.D. graduate Tirth Vaishnav is exploring how birds' behavior and ecology vary across seasons and in response to both natural and human-driven environmental changes.
Plants & Animals
Dec 8, 2025
0
50
The shift from warm summer to cool fall conditions can be stressful for many animals. Surviving each season requires a multitude of different physiological and behavioral traits that scientists are still working to understand.
Plants & Animals
Dec 5, 2025
0
36
Bumble bees respond to physical disturbance of their nest with a sequence of defensive behaviors that lasts up to 10 minutes, according to a study by Sajedeh Sarlak at the University of Konstanz, Germany, and colleagues.
Plants & Animals
Dec 3, 2025
1
76
With every step we take, our brains are already thinking about the next one. If a bump in the terrain or a minor misstep has thrown us off balance, our stride may need to be altered to prevent a fall. Our two-legged posture ...
Plants & Animals
Dec 3, 2025
0
95
People rated cats as having a more positive emotional state when shown indoors rather than outdoors, even those who believe cats should roam freely outside, a new study has found. The study also found that other contextual ...
Veterinary medicine
Dec 3, 2025
0
26
Urbanization is rapidly growing worldwide, often bringing negative effects on wildlife through loss of habitat and disturbances such as light pollution and noise. Yet some species manage to adapt to cities, either due to ...
Plants & Animals
Dec 1, 2025
0
17
They may not yet be kings of the swingers, but macaque monkeys can keep time to music and move to the beat. Well, at least two adult macaques can, who were trained by researchers to tap along to different kinds of music. ...
Mistreating a dog may come back to bite you. Scientists have long known that childhood abuse, neglect, and trauma can have lifelong consequences in humans. Now, a study by Harvard scientists links early adversity to similar ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 28, 2025
0
35
A study led by researchers at the University of Cambridge provides a window into canine emotions, revealing why some golden retrievers are more fearful, energetic or aggressive than others.
Molecular & Computational biology
Nov 24, 2025
0
175
In nature, it is not usual for animals to be deceptive, as evolution has typically favored communication that benefits both the sender and receiver by conveying reliable information. But, there are exceptions, particularly ...
