In order to investigate Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) behavior, it is useful to study and compare flamingoes both in wild and captive settings. Captive zoo flamingoes are not just for marveling at and pondering how they can stand on one leg for so long, but they are also very useful for controlled experiments that lead to…
Author: The Ethogram
The official blog of the UC Davis Animal Behavior Graduate Group.
Sunday Sketch: Sneaky Cephalopods
Cephalopods, from squid to octopus, are masters of color – and the mourning cuttlefish (Sepia plangon) is no exception. Some male cuttlefish of this species selectively change color on each half of their body, allowing them to have female patterns on one side and male patterns on the other. They orient the “female” side toward…
Field Frames Friday: Is this habitat too hot, too cold, or juuuuust right?
California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) choose their habitats based on having optimal thermoregulation (maintaining their body temperature). Some of their preferred habitat characteristics include large, flat rocks, lighter surfaces, and protected coastlines from wave action. These features allow California sea lions to easily perform thermoregulation behaviors such as basking on large flat surfaces (like the…
Field Frame Friday: Oxybenz-don’t — Find sunscreen that protects your skin and coral reefs
Coral reefs are among the most productive and diverse ecosystems in the world (wanna learn more, check out our Creature Feature) and are attractions for human visitors. While human visitors use sunscreen to protect themselves from harmful UV rays, some ingredients have aversive affects on these corals, particularly oxybenzone. The protection of UV light causes…
Sunday Sketch: Blood Sharing Bats
As their name suggests, vampire bats need to consume blood often to stay alive. Female vampire bats roost in groups, and when some bats aren’t able to get a meal, others in the same group will regurgitate their own meals to share! Research revealed that females who shared meals with an extensive network of nonrelatives…
Field Frame Friday: Grazing or lazing
Beef cattle (bos taurus) display individual differences in grazing behavior on rangelands such as those in California. Even same-breed cattle can exhibit a variety of grazing patterns, such as traversing more terrain, traveling further from water, and climbing higher elevation than their fellow herdmates. [Photo by Nick Chudeau and caption by Maggie Creamer] References Bailey,…
Sunday Sketch: Learning to pick your battles
Northern elephant seal harems (Mirounga angustirostris) are a cacophony of noises with males vocalizing at each other and occasionally getting into physical battles; what information is coded within those noises? Researchers at University of California, Santa Cruz used playback experiments (i.e. recording vocalizations and then playing the vocalizations back to other individuals) to discover that…
Field Frame Friday: How do you like your eggs?
Due to warmer temperatures, egg incubation in tropical birds presents a different set of challenges than temperate species. To regulate temperatures, lesser noddies (Anous tenuirostris) will rotate the egg around the nest every 50 minutes, and when ambient temperatures get above 30℃ (86 ℉) , parents will actually lift off of the egg, and depend…
Newsroom: Counter culture
Does social learning help or hinder adaptive response to human-induced rapid environmental change? Human-induced rapid environmental change (HIREC), such as climate change, habitat fragmentation, and pollution, poses a potential threat to a variety of wildlife species. If or how it changes animals’ traits is a question of central importance bridging evolutionary ecology and conservation management….
Sunday Sketch: Stinging Sea Jellies
Planning on swimming at the beach this summer? Learn some facts about sea jellies before you ask a friend to pee on a sting wound! Sea jellies have specialized cells called cnidocytes on their tentacles that contain structures called nematocysts. Nematocysts act like harpoons that deliver a venomous sting. Though people say that urine can…
