The Ethogram

What Reality TV Gets Right (and Wrong!) About Animal Pair Bonds

Valentine’s Day is approaching, which means science media is going to once again be filled with awww-inducing images of penguins standing shoulder-to-shoulder and seahorses delicately entwining their tails, usually accompanied by claims about “mating for life.” These stories are comforting, romantic, and… deeply misleading. The reality of animal “love” is far more nuanced. Animal attachment is rare. Most animals do not form long-term relationships, and even fewer develop selective psychological attachments to a partner....

What Reality TV Gets Right (and Wrong!) About Animal Pair Bonds Valentine’s Day is approaching, which means science media is going to once again be filled with awww-inducing images of penguins standing shoulder-to-shoulder and seahorses delicately entwining the…

Sunday Sketch: Tree swallows

Tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) are migratory birds found in North America who feast mostly upon insects like flies. A three year study found that these birds defend their babies in the nest, with males performing more aggression than females, and they defended more strongly against ferrets compared to snakes. Art by .art Edited by Isabelle McDonald Reference: Winkler, D. W. (1992). Causes and consequences of variation in parental defense behavior by tree swallows. Ornithological Applications, 94(2), 502–520.

Sunday Sketch: Tree swallows Tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) are migratory birds found in North America who feast mostly upon insects like flies. A three year study found that these birds defend their babies in the nest, w…

Field Frame Friday: Brazilian Nelore cattle

Nelore cattle (Bos indicus) originate from Ongole cattle and are an indigenous breed from India. They were brought to Brazil in 1868, and are known for their distinctive hump on their back and high heat tolerance. As an animal used for beef, the female cattle are bred to produce calves. An experiment found that when they measured the estrous behavior (also called "heat", the state of sexual receptivity where female cattle would accept mounting from a male) in Nelore cattle, they perform it for shorter amounts of time than European breeds and a lot at nighttime....

Field Frame Friday: Brazilian Nelore cattle Nelore cattle (Bos indicus) originate from Ongole cattle and are an indigenous breed from India. They were brought to Brazil in 1868, and are known for their distinctive hump on their back and high…

Throwback Creature Feature: California ground squirrel

This Squirrel Appreciation Day (January 21st), celebrate with California's own fearless fluffball...

Throwback Creature Feature: California ground squirrel This Squirrel Appreciation Day (January 21st), celebrate with California’s own fearless fluffball