News of the Behavioural Ecology Group
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Zebra finches might sing to synchronise their breeding with each other
- Australian wild zebra finches sing more with others around when breeding conditions are favourable. Their song also changes based on their breeding... -
Mooc: Knowledge of animal behaviour contributes to conservation
- Better insight into animal behaviour could contribute significantly to the protection of species. This is the motivation behind the free MOOC course... -
Why domestic cats may have small brains
- Domestic cats have smaller brains than their wild ancestors. Smaller brains need less energy. Cats might thus be able to spend more energy on other... -
Cognition versus camouflage: predator-driven evolution
- A frog with a large brain can probably better assess the risk of an approaching snake and save itself at the most favorable moment with a courageous... -
Young birds do household chores
- Young birds support their parents in raising youngsters, defending the territory and keeping predators at bay. This social... -
How Dutch migratory birds are caught by trapping nets
- Each year, large numbers of migratory birds (including Dutch birds) are caught in the Mediterranean. These birds, ranging from quails to nightingales,... -
Animals rarely avoid inbreeding
- The widespread general assumption is that inbreeding is bad for genetic reasons and something that should be avoided under all circumstances. A new... -
Tweeting zebra finches in the Australian outback
- The zebra finch is one of the most widely studied songbirds in a laboratory setting, but little is known about its ecology and behaviour in the wild.... -
Guppies with friends eat more
- Guppies that socialise with more conspecifics get more food. This applies to both males and females, despite the common assumption that males... -
Aggressive wasp eats baby bird's head
- An aggressive wasp has attacked a baby bird in its nest and then ate its head. This special attack was captured on camera during a study by Wageningen...