Tag: animal communication
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Global Birds Share a Mysterious Warning Cry: The First Learned-Vocal Across Species
Overview: A World-spanning warning cry In a landmark study released in Nature Ecology and Evolution on October 3, researchers report that more than 20 bird species across four continents produce nearly identical whining vocalizations when they spot a brood parasite in their territory. This finding represents the first known example of an animal vocalization that…
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Global Warning Cry: How Birds Learn a Shared Call Against Brood Parasites
New Evidence of a Shared, Learned Warning Across Birds A landmark study published on October 3 in Nature Ecology and Evolution uncovers a remarkable phenomenon: more than 20 bird species across four continents emit nearly identical “whining” vocalizations when they spot brood parasites in their territory. This finding represents the first known example of an…
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Warning Call Unites Birds Worldwide: Innate-Learned Signals
Global Discovery: A Shared Warning Across Continents A recent study published in Nature Ecology and Evolution reveals a remarkable evolutionary bridge in avian communication. Researchers spanning Cornell University and Donana Biological Station in Seville examined how birds respond to brood parasites, a strategy in which parasitic birds lay eggs in others’ nests. In a finding…
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Why a Bug’s “Dance” Isn’t About Dating—It’s a Stealthy Survival Trick
What Looks Like Dancing Isn’t About Courtship Insects rarely perform for the camera, and their behavior often hides deeper purposes. A recent study by STRI researchers Connor Evans-Blake, Juliette Rubin and Ummat Somjee uncovers a surprising truth about a group of colorful flag-legged bugs: their waving is not a courtship display but a sophisticated anti-predator…
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Birds’ Vocal Warnings Point to Language Origins: Global Study
Birds’ Vocal Warnings Reveal a Global Link to Language Origins ITHACA, N.Y. – A remarkable cross-continental discovery shows that more than two dozen bird species, spread across four continents, share a nearly identical whining vocal warning. The sound is produced when a parasite bird—such as a cuckoo—intrudes on a nest, and the host birds identify…