For most raptors, hunting is not a team sport. Harris’ hawks, however, play the game a bit differently. Although a few other raptors are known to hunt cooperatively, Harris’ hawks are by far the most cooperative and coordinated in their hunting behavior. They use many strategies for hunting that rely on coordinated maneuvers by each…
Author: The Ethogram
The official blog of the UC Davis Animal Behavior Graduate Group.
Field Frame Friday: There is no hiding from me, EYE see you!
Jumping spiders (phylogenetic family: Salticidae) of all arthropods (i.e. invertebrates with an exoskeleton)! In addition to the 2 sets of eyes seen in this photo, jumping spiders also have 2 sets of eyes on the top of their head. Each set has specialized function, from detecting changes in light, motion, and color, to the ability…
NEWS: The Ethogram receives outreach award from Animal Behavior Society
January 30, 2020 The Ethogram is pleased to announce that we have been named as one of this year’s recipients for the Animal Behavior Society Outreach Grant. These awards are generously provided to support creative, high-quality animal outreach behavior initiatives that promise to produce a big impact. We would like to thank the Animal Behavior…
Sunday Sketch: Wiley as a Fox
Hunting is hard. Hunting in the snow? Even harder. A study on wild red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in the Czech Republic indicates that these cunning hunters have an additional weapon in their arsenal—magnetic sensation! The study showed that foxes strongly preferred to pounce on their prey by jumping in the direction facing magnetic north east….
Field Frame Friday: No provisioning allowed!
When humans voluntarily feed wildlife, it is referred to as provisioning. Although this may appear a harmless and fun activity for visiting tourists, these small acts of “kindness” can have profound effects on wildlife. For example, provisioning can lead to increased aggression among individuals monkeys in a social group, as they are competing over a…
Creature Feature: Reindeer
With jack frost nipping at your nose and holiday spiced drinks at your local coffee shop, ‘tis the season to be on the lookout for reindeer. Even if you don’t leave carrots by the chimney for Rudolf on Christmas Eve, reindeer are handsome, hardy animals that inspire thoughts of sparkling white snowscapes, the north woods,…
Field Frame Friday: Beggars can’t be choosers
Ever had your pet beg to you for food? Well this is no different. This is Emma, performing her signature “hands out” behavior to indicate that she would like you to share whatever scrumptious things you have with her. Emma is a long tailed macaque that lives in a tourist park outside of Kuala Lumpur,…
Sunday Sketch: Between a rock and a hard place
Long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) are one of the most common monkeys in southeast Asia. Some populations along the shore are found to use stones as tools to crack oysters, bivalves and various kinds of shellfish. This tool-related foraging technique is extremely rare among primates. The tool use behaviors are found only in some populations of monkey species in the same location despite sharing environmental…
Field Notes: PhD Research or Arts-n-Crafts Hour… Why Not Both?
When you’re in the business of making nearly a thousand clay caterpillars by hand, there are a few must-have investments: Spotify premium (for hours’ worth of podcasts), ludicrous amounts of alcohol wipes (to scrub your stubbornly ink-dyed hands), more Copic marker refills than you think you would ever need (so you don’t have to drive…
Sunday Sketch: Monkey See, Monkey Do
Long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) are known for stealing food from tourists in several areas. Populations in Uluwatu temple, Indonesia are more advanced and steal valuables stuff such as phones, wallets, and glasses from tourists. They cannot consume those objects, but they wait for the temple staff to trade for them with fruits. This foraging techniques…
