#animal behavior

A growing body of research suggests heat waves do more than stress animals physically. They can also impair learning, aggression control and survival behavior.

Researchers say iron-containing immune cells in pigeon livers may help explain how birds detect Earth’s magnetic field, offering a new candidate mechanism for one of animal navigation’s longest-running mysteries.

Researchers studying kea in New Zealand found that a bird missing his upper beak became the undefeated alpha male of his group by adapting his lower beak into a striking tool during contests.

Researchers working in the Democratic Republic of Congo have documented shellear fish scaling a near-vertical waterfall, revealing a rare migration strategy driven by anatomy, humidity, and persistence.

Researchers say Barbary macaques living near tourists in Gibraltar are more likely to eat soil, probably as a way to soothe stomach problems linked to junk food from people.

A small study found that cats ate substantially more when the smell associated with their food changed, suggesting that declining interest may reflect odor familiarity rather than simple fussiness.

A new study says octopuses can locate mates and reproduce at arm’s length using a sensory system that lets them effectively ‘taste by touch.’

Researchers studying octopus mating found that the male hectocotylus is not just a reproductive appendage but also a sensory organ able to chemically detect the target site inside the female.

A March 2026 Science paper reports that cooperation by non-kin during birth underpins sperm whale social complexity, highlighting how caregiving behavior may shape whale societies.