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The Gall Lab attends the Animal Behavior Society Conference

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The Gall lab headed to the 2014 Animal Behavior Society Conference at Princeton University this past week. It was a great chance to talk about science, connect with old friends, and learn about where the field is going! At the conference … Continue reading

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What’s the hoot about peacock deception?

Dishonest signals give misleading information about an animal’s size, intention, and quality. In animal communication, dishonest signals are maintained if they are rarely made or used in aggressive contests. However, when dishonest signals are commonly used in a population, they … Continue reading

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Lost? Birds’ magnetic compasses may be compromised by man-made electronics

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While many organisms have impeccable sight, hearing, or smell, some species are able to sense aspects of their environment through mediums that humans cannot naturally perceive. For example, night-migratory songbirds have the ability to use the Earth’s magnetic field to … Continue reading

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A Parting Song: Signaling Costs and Benefits in Song Sparrows

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Until recently, research on songbird calls has been biased towards the study of male calling, with female calls receiving relatively little attention. In many species this is because male songbirds are more vocal than females, but many females produce their … Continue reading

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Desert Ants in search for food!

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All organisms cannot survive without food. Food is the substance that provides nutritional support to our body and is the form of energy that is essential for everyday function. But, how do we find food? The answer is simple: we … Continue reading

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Sea lions are able to slow their heart rates during deep dives

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Sea lions may possess a special power. A new study recently published in The Journal of Experimental Biology shows five California seal lions (Zalophys califonianus) exhibiting extremely slower heart rates during deep dives. We know that oxygen must be stored … Continue reading

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Can I Have Some More? Puffin Chicks Have Two Ways to Beg for Food

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  Have you ever wondered if you deserve your food? For bird species that provide parental care, foraging and bringing back food is a tricky balance between nurturing progeny and conserving energy. The situation becomes bleak for offspring when resources … Continue reading

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Say what? Decoding calls of poison frog doppelgangers

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In the world of frog communication, it has been demonstrated that visual signals provide important cues for recognizing conspecifics during both mate selection and aggressive territorial behaviors. In the case of similar-looking ‘doppelganger’ frog species, however, it is reasonable to … Continue reading

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Smell no evil? Birds use odd smells to eject foreign eggs from their host nest.

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Host species’ (species that host parasites) main defensive strategy against brood parasitism is the hosts’ ability to recognize and reject parasitic offspring (i.e. pushing the parasitic egg out of the nest). Brood parasitism is when one organism (brood parasite) tries … Continue reading

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Just tell me where the food is at!

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Many proud dog owners wouldn’t doubt for a second the intelligence of their canine companions. Not only does it seem like your dog simply “gets you,” some even argue that their dog comprehends human languages. However, this sort of talk … Continue reading

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