The calls of the yellow-rumped cacique (cacicus cela) are significant in social contexts. For example, males counter-sing to establish the dominance hierarchy, songs can be used in territory defense or agonisitic encounters, as well as alarms to predators and to initiate flock cohesion. [Photo by Grace Davis and caption by Maggie Creamer] Reference Corwin, P….

Even though the black-handed spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi) has limited dexterity in handling, since they do not have a thumb, they still show strong consistency and preference for handedness (aka being right or left handed). Their handedness preference also varies between individuals. [Photo by Grace Davis and caption by Maggie Creamer] Reference Motes Rodrigo, A.,…

Both sexes of the Chestnut-mandibled toucan, or Swainson’s toucan, (Ramphastos ambiguus swainsonii) help with incubating the eggs and raise the chicks together. Generally, females will lay just about 2 or 3 eggs at a time in an old decayed tree or an abandoned woodpecker’s nest. [Photo by Grace Davis on Barro Colorado Island, Panama; Caption…

Dominant yellow-rumped cacique (Cacicus cela) males mate with many females while males lower down in the hierarchy mate with only a few females, if any. Dominant males can consort with anywhere form 1-27 females and will guard them while they forage and nest. [Photo by Grace Davis in Barro Colorado Island, Panama; Caption by Maggie…

They observe animals for fun! On a boat trip from San Francisco Bay to the Farallon Islands, it is rare not to have a whale sighting. However, to see two fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) cruising together is magic! [Photo by Alycia Drwencke and caption by Karli Chudeau]

Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) congregate in areas where natural cracks in the ice provide easy access into and out of the water, and while Antarctic waters remain around -2°C (~28°F) which may seem cold to us, these seals are well adapted to spending hours at a time in the water. [Caption and Photo taken (under…

Female yellow-rumped caciques (Cacicus cela) choose to build their unique, enclosed, hanging nests next to wasp nests to provide protection from mammals and botflies. [Photo by Grace Davis in Barro Colorado Island, Panama; Caption by Maggie Creamer] Reference Corwin, P. (2012). Yellow-rumped Cacique (Cacicus cela), In Neotropical Birds Online (T. S. Schulenberg, Editor). Cornell Lab…

Lesser Noddies (Anous tenuirostris), make their nest using leaves and their own guano (fancy word for poop). Waste not, want not? [Photo by Nick Chudeau in Cousin Island, Seychelles; Caption by Karli Chudeau] Reference Surman, C., Burbidge, A., & Fitzhardinge, J. (2016). Long-term population trends in the vulnerable Lesser Noddy Anous tenuirostris melanops at the…

Sometimes collecting data means sleeping in your van by the beach next to your research materials. [Photo and Caption by Karli Chudeau]