Behavioral Ecology

Parasite emergence facilitated by host wing-raising behavior

April research news from the Ecological Society of America

UW researchers decipher beluga calls to bolster conservation efforts

Researchers at the University of Washington decoded over 1,700 beluga whale calls in Cook Inlet, revealing insights into their social behavior, communication patterns, and vulnerability to human noise. The study suggests that shipping noise may be disrupting critical calf-mother communication, threatening the population's recovery.

New study eavesdrops on the secret lives of birds

Does agriculture and climate affect feeding activities of soil animals?

Key magic mushroom ingredient makes fish less aggressive and lazier

A study found that psilocybin, a key magic mushroom ingredient, significantly reduces aggressive attack behavior and energetically costly social behaviors in mangrove rivulus fish. The compound selectively dampens escalated social conflict without suppressing lower-energy social display behaviors.

Do saltwater crocodiles raised in captivity go home after being released into the wild?

Rare footage of elusive sea-floor creatures and backward-swimming fish captured by compact video-acoustic system in Greenland

A new, non-invasive monitoring system captured striking footage of hyperbenthos, including a snailfish exhibiting backward swimming behavior, and the acoustic presence of narwhals. The study highlights the dynamic nature of the deep-sea environment, with organic particles concentrating in response to tidal currents.

Beetles are likely dispersal vectors for “towering” nematodes

Scientists have discovered a previously undescribed nematode species, Caenorhabditis apta, which forms 'towers' that can attach to fruit flies and other insects. The study found that two sap-feeding beetles are likely the primary vectors of this new species, highlighting the importance of understanding how nematodes spread in the wild.

Seals get their hearts racing to detox after foraging trips at sea

A new study found that fur seals' heart rate peaks six to eight hours after returning to land, indicating a delayed recovery from the physiological costs of foraging at sea. This suggests that seals use their time onshore to actively recover and replenish oxygen stores.

Urban birds fear women more than men, and scientists don’t know why

Researchers found that urban birds flee sooner when approached by women compared to men in a European study. The study involved over 2,700 observations across five countries and 37 bird species, revealing that birds can recognize the sex of approaching humans.

Songbird’s extreme desert migration mapped

The thrush nightingale migrates up to 18,000 km with four-to-five consecutive nighttime flights and daytime breaks to avoid intense heat, conserving energy along the way. Advanced sensors track this extreme behaviour, providing insight into the bird's strategy for survival.

Promiscuity and parental behavior in birds driven by demographics, not the other way around

New research found that bird species with a skewed sex ratio are primarily caused by demographic factors, not the other way around. The study of 261 bird species revealed that one sex is more likely to die before reproducing due to differences in survival rates.

Monkeys learn to self-medicate with soil to help them digest tourists’ junk food

In a unique behavior, monkeys on Gibraltar have learned to eat dirt to help them digest the junk food consumed by tourists, which disrupts their gut microbiome. The researchers found that geophagy is socially learned and has become part of the macaques' culture, with different troops having preferences for certain types of soil.

Disabled parrot is undefeated alpha male of his group thanks to novel “beak jousting”

A study shows how a kea parrot with a missing upper beak uses innovative fighting techniques to dominate his group and gain social status. He achieves this through 'beak jousting,' which proves more effective than other methods, leading to improved health benefits and social recognition.

Can naked mole rats peacefully hand over power?

Researchers at Salk Institute discovered that naked mole rats can transition to peaceful queen succession, demonstrating flexibility in their social order. This finding challenges previous understanding of colony dynamics and opens new avenues for studying eusocial mammals.

Smithsonian research associate discovers ants assemble to be picked clean by ‘cleaner’ ants, a novel insect behavior

Entomologist Mark Moffett observes harvester ants congregating with smaller cone ants in Arizona's Chiricahua Mountains. The unusual behavior involves the cone ants licking and nibbling the harvester ants' body surfaces, possibly consuming calorie-rich dust-size morsels.

Sunbirds suck their nectar, in dramatic contrast to hummingbirds, which sop it up

A new study reveals that sunbirds employ tongue suction to slurp nectar, a novel mechanism in vertebrates. This finding highlights the power of convergent evolution, where different species adapt to similar ecological challenges in distinct ways.

Personality shapes survival as wildlife faces growing human pressure

A new study reveals that risk-prone animals tend to stay near human activity, while more cautious individuals avoid humans and survive longer. This finding highlights the importance of individual behavior in adapting to human-driven environmental change.

Tarantulas may use learning and memory to search for food and locate their retreats

Researchers observed tarantulas using spatial orientation to improve prey capture and retreat location, indicating possible learning and memory use. The study suggests that tarantulas' nervous systems support flexible behavior and may rely on internal body signals combined with environmental cues.

Ant larvae control parental care by using odor signals

Researchers have discovered a brood pheromone released by clonal raider ant larvae that temporarily suppresses egg-laying in adult ants. The pheromone, MEHMP, is produced exclusively by larvae and helps synchronize brood care and reproduction in the colony.

Honey bee waggle dance depends on its audience, study finds

A new study reveals that the honey bee waggle dance is a dynamic, two-way interaction shaped by its audience, contradicting the traditional view of unidirectional information flow. Researchers manipulated the number of potential observers to test how dancers adjust their behavior based on the availability of appropriately aged bees.

Bee dancing is better with the right audience

Researchers found that honey bees change the precision of their waggle dance depending on the size and composition of their audience. The dancers adjust their movements to search for a receptive crowd, resulting in less precise signals when few bees are present.

Bee dancing is better with the right audience

A recent study on honey bees' waggle dance reveals that the dance's precision is influenced by audience size and composition. When there are more observers, dancers become less precise, suggesting that the performer adjusts its movements to engage with a larger crowd, ultimately conveying critical information about food sources.

Humans and animals have the same taste in animal mating calls

A recent study published in Science found that humans and animals have overlapping preferences for certain qualities of an animal's call, with agreement strongest for lower-frequency sounds. The study used a gamified citizen science experiment involving over 4,000 human participants from around the world.

Longest recorded journey of a juvenile fisher to find new forest home

A young female fisher traveled 118 kilometers from Durham to the White Mountains in New Hampshire, the longest recorded dispersal for the species. This journey, documented over winter with deep snow, underscores the fisher's adaptability and highlights the need for further research into movement patterns.

The ‘croak’ conundrum: Parasites complicate love signals in frogs

Parasites alter male calls, creating a complex pattern that can change how females evaluate potential partners. Females prefer lower-frequency calls, but also weigh the risk of parasite infection, making mate choice a nuanced decision.

3D-printed rattlesnake reveals how the rattle is a warning signal

Researchers engineered a 3D-printed robotic rattlesnake to test how 38 zoo animals responded to rattling behavior. The study found that the rattling display functions as an effective deterrent, with species sharing natural geographic range with rattlesnakes exhibiting stronger fear responses.

Recovery from whaling reveals the role of age in Humpback reproduction

Researchers found that as humpback whale populations recovered from whaling, the age structure shifted towards a more even distribution among older and younger males. Older males became increasingly successful at siring offspring compared to younger males, suggesting they need time to refine their singing and competitive tactics.

Dogs are more like toddlers than cats when it comes to helping humans

Research found that dogs and 16-month-old toddlers exhibited similar prosocial behaviour when searching for a hidden object, with over 75% of them indicating or retrieving the object. In contrast, companion cats rarely showed such behaviour, suggesting domestication may not be enough to produce human-like cooperation.

The wild can be ‘death trap’ for rescued animals

A new study published in Global Ecology and Conservation found that released animals, like Bengal slow lorises, are at risk of being attacked by territorial peers. Only two out of nine released animals survived, with the others dying due to fatal attacks.

Fast-paced lives demand faster vision: ecology shapes how “quickly” animals see time

A new study reveals that animal species with fast-paced ecologies have faster visual perception, tracking prey in mid-air versus grazing slowly across the seabed. This finding supports Autrum's hypothesis and highlights how ecology shapes the tempo of perception across life on Earth.

Why do female caribou have antlers?

Researchers at the University of Cincinnati found that female caribou gnaw on shed antlers to supplement their diets with calcium and phosphorus, essential for milk production. The study, published in Ecology and Evolution, reveals a previously overlooked benefit of shed antlers in the Arctic ecosystem.

Study shows marine plastic pollution alters octopus predator-prey encounters

A study published in the Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology found that exposure to oleamide, a chemical additive in plastics, caused immediate changes in octopus prey choice and interactions with predators. The effects persisted for at least three days, suggesting a lasting impact on marine behavior and ecosystem dynamics.

Water is bed bugs’ kryptonite

A University of California - Riverside study has identified bed bugs' fear of water and wet surfaces, which affects their behavior and movement patterns. Researchers found that all bed bug ages and genders avoid wet surfaces, with younger insects being more sensitive to moisture.

‘Energy efficiency’ key to mountain birds adapting to changing environmental conditions

Researchers found that many birds don't strictly follow their supposed temperature adaptations, instead moving to efficiently acquire and use energy. This 'energy efficiency' hypothesis suggests that altitudinal migration is a behavioral mechanism allowing birds to optimize their energy budgets in the face of seasonality and competition.

Sounding out animal reactions to the 2024 eclipse

Researchers found that while the eclipse influenced sound activity and diversity, it didn't alter acoustic complexity. The study used novel acoustic capture devices to record animal vocalizations before, during, and after the April 2024 eclipse at three Ohio sites.

Air pollution causes social instability in ant colonies

Exposure to ozone levels found in affected areas alters the ants' odor signature, causing them to be attacked as if they were foreign intruders. The disruption of chemical communication between adult ants and larvae may also lead to neglect of brood care and larval death.

Meerkat “sunning calls”: the social putty of gentle chit-chat

Researchers found that meerkats use soft-spoken sunning calls to stay socially connected and manage group hierarchies without direct physical contact. Subordinate meerkats responded more strongly to dominant calls, suggesting vocal exchanges help stabilize weak social relationships.

Nash equilibria: The hidden math behind predator–prey behaviors

Researchers used game theory and individual-based models to show how attack and defense strategies emerge as stable patterns, providing a theoretical framework for understanding predator–prey interactions. The study highlights the importance of sensory abilities for survival and challenges traditional views of predator-prey relationships.

Humans use local dialects to communicate with honeyguides

Researchers found that humans in northern Mozambique use distinct calls, trills, grunts, whoops, and whistles when communicating with honeyguide birds. These regional dialects allow communities to coordinate cooperation with greater honeyguides, revealing a striking parallel to human language diversification.

Strategic sex: Alaska’s beluga whales swap mates for long-term survival

A new study reveals how beluga whales in Alaska's Bristol Bay survive through a surprising strategy: they mate with multiple partners over several years. This polygynandrous system helps maintain genetic diversity despite the population's small size and isolation.

Bubble netting knowledge spread by immigrant humpback whales

Researchers found that the spread of group bubble-net feeding amongst humpback whales is crucial to the success of the population's ongoing recovery. The technique has been seen in Alaskan waters and is now spreading into the Canadian Pacific population, likely due to immigrant whales bringing the knowledge with them.

Discovery of bats remarkable navigation strategy revealed in new study

A team of aerospace engineers and biologists built a custom 'Bat Accelerator Machine' to test the theory that bats exploit acoustic flow velocity to navigate complex habitats. The findings suggest that bats use Doppler-based acoustic flow for speed control and may rely on this mechanism for navigation.

How cities are changing social behavior in urban animals

A comprehensive review by Bielefeld University researchers reveals that urbanisation significantly impacts animal social behaviour, including changes in communication, aggression and group stability. The study found that 92% of reviewed papers report a significant effect of urbanization on social behavior.

Drones reveal how feral horse units keep boundaries

A research team used drones to study feral horse units in Portugal, finding that they dynamically adjust their shape and distance to avoid conflict with neighboring groups. Exceptionally, a 'friendly pair' showed high social tolerance, consistently approaching and mixing members.

The sophisticated communication of pūkeko

Researchers discovered that pūkeko combine individual sound elements to create complex call sequences, expanding their range of expression. The team found that certain sound elements have specific roles in calls and sequence combinations, allowing for nuanced communication about context, state of arousal, and more.

Science solves South Australia’s koala dilemma

A study led by Dr. Frédérik Saltré suggests that sterilizing 22% of adult females annually could stabilize the population at an estimated cost of $34 million over 25 years. This approach prioritizes both animal welfare and ecosystem health, offering a humane solution to the unsustainable koala numbers.

Food critics or food grabbers? When choosing food, wood mice split into careful examiners who sniff and handle, and quick nut grabbers

Researchers at Nagoya University found that about half of wood mice take time to examine nuts before selecting, potentially increasing their exposure to predators. Despite this risk, the extra time investment pays off as picky eaters are more likely to select undamaged chestnuts.

Can a bat catch prey on a mirror? A bat’s expert foraging skills revealed using a robot

Researchers build a robot to demonstrate how tropical bats spot insects perched on leaves using echolocation, revealing a plausible mechanism for the acoustic mirroring effect. The study suggests that bats can efficiently determine leaf occupancy by scanning sounds from an angle and listening for echoes.

Climate shapes arms race between ants and their social parasites

Two new studies show how climate shapes the behavior, communication, and genome evolution of ants and their social parasites, leading to adaptation in this long-standing conflict. Climate influences aggression, chemical profiles, and genetic strategies in both hosts and parasites, with varying responses across different climates.

Heavy is the head that wears the crown: Study finds dominant baboons miss out on restful nights

A study by Swansea University found that higher-ranking baboons get less and more fragmented rest at night compared to lower-ranked troop mates. This disruption is caused by the baboons' social bonds and dominance, leading to increased influence on each other's behavior.

Research news from the Ecological Society of America

Recent research articles explore innovative methods for rehabilitating coral reefs, new observations of masquerading behavior in deep-sea squids, the rapid expansion of Sphagnum peat patches across Alaska's North Slope, trade-offs between protected areas and sustainable development goals, and a surprising first-time observation of moth...

New study challenges the idea of humans as innately nature-loving

A new systematic review examines nearly 200 scientific articles to gather knowledge on biophobia, a negative relationship with nature. The study reveals that both external and internal factors contribute to negative emotions towards nature, threatening conservation efforts.

Roads, development disrupt movement of young mountain lions in California

Young mountain lions in California struggle to navigate busy roads and developed areas, compromising their ability to access breeding territories and maintain genetic diversity. The study's findings highlight the need for wildlife crossing structures to maintain connectivity and promote healthy populations.

How supplemental feeding boosts reproductive conditions of urban squirrels

Researchers found that urban female Eurasian red squirrels have a higher pregnancy rate and reproduce earlier than rural females. Urban females also reproduced longer, with some continuing up to five years of age, compared to four years in rural populations.

Crop pests can develop ‘fighter-jet wings’ after eating specific mix of corn

Researchers found that a blend of non-toxic and genetically modified toxic corn can alter the shape of corn earworm moth wings, making them more aerodynamic and able to travel longer distances. This change in wing shape increases the moths' capability to fly long distances and spread resistance to the toxic corn.

Bat besties start to sound alike over time

Researchers found that female vampire bats alter their contact calls to match those of familiar companions, a behavior similar to humans adopting regional accents. This phenomenon allows the bats to recognize one another in noisy environments.

What our meadows reveal about the future

A German-Swiss research team found that spatial data can remarkably predict biodiversity changes over time, identifying areas under pressure. The study used unique data from 150 meadows and shows that land use intensification leads to declining biodiversity.

The ingenuity of white oval squid camouflage brought to light

The white oval squid employs a range of survival strategies, including color matching, disruptive patterns, and synchronized schooling. By analyzing the mathematical patterns behind their behavior, researchers have confirmed the effectiveness of these strategies in evading predators and camouflaging in diverse environments.