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.
Large seabird colonies have a surrounding boundary known as Ashmole's halo, where food sources are depleted, forcing the birds to travel farther to gather the food they need. The reason seems obvious—the more birds, the more ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 15, 2026
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26
Horses know a predator when they see one—even if it's only on a video screen while they're standing in a stall, with no sounds, smells or previous experience providing context for what they're viewing, a new study suggests.
Plants & Animals
Jul 15, 2026
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8
Most people in the U.K. don't fully understand dog laws in the country and often believe stronger protections exist than actually exist, according to a new University of Stirling study. The research, led by psychologist Sarah ...
Veterinary medicine
Jul 15, 2026
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8
New research involving Queen Mary University of London reveals that amphibians can change what they eat to cope with rising temperatures, but that this natural survival strategy has limits.
Plants & Animals
Jul 14, 2026
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13
The age-old question asks, "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?" While philosophers and scientists alike have pondered this question for centuries, the more relevant question ...
Ecology
Jul 14, 2026
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13
Who hasn't dreamed of flying like a bird? But do birds actually enjoy flying as much as we imagine? A new study by researchers at Utrecht University shows that galahs, Australian cockatoos, almost always choose to fly when ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 14, 2026
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178
At Archbold Biological Station, decades of field observations are helping scientists better understand one of nature's oldest relationship strategies: long-term monogamy.
Ecology
Jul 14, 2026
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8
I am one of Hobart's many residents who traveled to a nearby beach to witness Neil the seal—an animal that has been receiving global attention for his wild personality and humorous antics.
Plants & Animals
Jul 12, 2026
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110
Virtual fences could make managing grazing livestock on farms more flexible and more efficient while improving animal welfare. A new study by the University of Göttingen shows that virtual fences trigger behavior in cattle ...
Biotechnology
Jul 11, 2026
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59
A research team led by Professor Chaogu Zheng from the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), in collaboration with scientists from Princeton University and Columbia University, has discovered ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Jul 11, 2026
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13
