A team of scientists proposes the 'flush-pursue hypothesis', suggesting that small dinosaurs with proto-wings used a similar strategy to birds, displaying contrasting plumage on wings and tails to trigger prey escapes. This idea is rooted in field-ornithological studies and neurobiological research on birds.
Researchers found that giant water striders break the water surface when their legs push downward during a jump. They then quickly move downward surrounded by air caught within and around long hairs on their legs, generating upward force due to drag.
The study found that parent birds cut earthworms into smaller pieces and feed them to their nestlings, suggesting a specialized prey preparation behavior. The researchers believe this helps younger nestlings swallow food better.
Researchers mapped the distribution of territories of two warbler species in a human-made landscape with patches of natural forests and pastures. The study found that both species co-occurred without direct competitive interactions, as they foraged in different habitats and locations.
A new study shows that water striders modify their leg movements to jump safely, depending on their body weight and experience. Female water striders with added weight adjust their midleg movement speed and male striders don't show similar adjustments.
Researchers found that ants tend to avoid parts of impediments that slow them down, similar to how light rays take time-reducing paths. The study used lens-shaped impediments and observed that ants diverged from the center on convex lenses and converged on concave lenses.
Researchers found Oriental tit birds give distinct alarm calls to snakes and chipmunks, warning nestlings of snake threat but not chipmunk danger. The study suggests a specific call signals 'be aware of a snake' rather than general predator alert.
A new computer model, ApoSim, simulates the evolution of various prey behaviors, including permanent and switchable warning signals. The model explores how predators' learning speeds impact evolutionary outcomes, providing insights into the diversity of prey defenses.
Spotted lanternflies modify their diet and coloration to become distasteful and signal this to predators. The insects accumulate specific chemicals from tree juices, making them toxic to birds, which learn to avoid them based on their bright colors.
Researchers discovered that jumping water striders adjust their leg movements to prevent the water surface from breaking, allowing them to achieve maximum jump speeds. By studying the biomechanics of these near-vertical jumps, scientists built a mathematical model to explain the behavior and verified its predictions with actual data.
Researchers found that birds learn to distinguish distasteful prey from tasty ones using sudden displays of conspicuous color. This strategy helps the distasteful prey avoid predation by making it harder for sensitive predators to spot them.
Brown skuas in Antarctica show remarkable ability to distinguish between researchers and neutral individuals after just 3-4 visits. The birds' cognitive abilities are surprisingly high, considering their habitat evolution in human-free areas.
A team of biologists observed and analyzed the jumping behavior of water striders, revealing two phases: a dimple creation phase and a leg movement phase. Mathematical models were created to understand the surface tension forces involved in the jump, predicting optimal jumping performance.
A study published in Scientific Reports reveals that birds like magpies utilize a tiny vortex formed at the alula feathers tip to improve flight maneuverability. The researchers observed this phenomenon through wind tunnel experiments, demonstrating how the vortex helps air flow attach to the wing surface.
Researchers discovered that Mexican Jays can 'weigh' peanuts by shaking them in their beaks, producing sounds that help identify the content. The birds prefer heavier nuts with more content over lighter ones, even when they appear identical.
Researchers found that magpies take quicker decisions when humans are observing them, even if they don't perceive humans as a threat. This skill may have evolved to aid in survival near humans for centuries.
Researchers found that moths search for a spot to rest and adjust their body orientation to become nearly invisible to birds. The insects' behavior suggests they have an active choice of a resting spot that makes them visually camouflaged.
Researchers found a rare case of non-parental infanticide in the black-billed magpie, where an adult bird attacked and killed nestlings. The suspected perpetrator was a female parent from a neighboring nest, due to aggressive interactions and territorial expansion.
A recent study by researchers at Seoul National University found that magpies can recognize individual humans, but only through visual cues. The birds showed aggressive responses to climbers and were able to distinguish them from non-climbers, suggesting a level of cognitive ability similar to that of domesticated animals.
Researchers found that magpies exhibit 'rarer-sex disadvantage,' where sons die more when daughters are present and vice versa. This phenomenon challenges previous hypotheses on nestling mortality and suggests that parents may adjust their brood sex ratio through sex-biased mortality.