behavior, animal behavior

The parasite appears to make infected wolves less risk-averse, potentially influencing the behavior of packs.

The broken-wing display, in which birds fake being wounded to protect their nests from predators, is found across the avian phylogenetic tree, a study finds.

Female fruit flies assess the physical symmetry of male suitors through the songs they sing, a study claims.

Two glands increase steroid production after female California two-spot octopuses mate, a study finds. Those hormones may be responsible for the animals’ self-destructive behavior.

It was the first time a bird has removed a tracking device, and the second time a bird species showed cooperative “rescue” behavior.

A study finds that the odorless compound hexadecanal, or HEX, increases aggressive behavior in women but has a calming effect on men.

Across the tree of life, animals use sound and other vibrations to glean valuable sensory information about their environments even before they are born.

A study of feeding behavior suggests the fish feed differently in front of their partners—a behavioral feature also found in primates.

The endosymbiont Coxiella affects tick serotonin production and subsequent blood-feeding behavior, a study finds.

Leiden University’s Carel ten Cate tracked down 34-year-old duck recordings—and the man who made them—to verify that musk ducks are capable of vocal learning, an ability that hadn’t been thought to exist in waterfowl.

The Scientist spoke to marine biologist Tim Lynch, who dusted off 25-year-old data from his PhD to figure out why olive sea snakes approach divers so often. He says the animals, especially the males, likely confuse people for potential mates.

A 12-year study shows variation among primate groups in how the animals clasp hands during grooming, but consistency within them, even as group membership shifts over time.

For the first time, scientists tracked large shark movements during hurricanes and found that tiger sharks may find the turmoil opportunistic for feeding.

The Centenary University professor studies the far-reaching effects of changes in the gut bacteria of mosquitos and other species.

The cephalopods resisted temptation for up to 130 seconds to earn their favorite food, hinting at sophisticated cognitive abilities such as planning for the future.

Researchers across disciplines are adopting high-tech tools to better understand the kinematics and behaviors behind insect flight.

Researchers are pulling from video games, sports broadcasting, meteorology, and even missile guidance technology to better investigate how insects have mastered flight.

Researchers are getting creative to understand flight behavior in the fast-moving and tiny animals.

Pets asked by their owners to pick up an object attached to a mat they were sitting on understood they needed to move in order to complete the task, researchers report.