Press office news tagged animal-behaviour

Relocated songbirds can successfully learn the diversity of song they need to survive

University of Plymouth news: A new study led by the University has found nestling songbirds relocated as part of conservation programmes successfully learn the song repertoires they need to communicate – and ultimately survive – in the wild
31 January 2024
Academic contributes to new animal welfare guidelines for zoos

University of Plymouth news: Dr Joanna Newbolt is among the contributors to a new set of guidelines that aims to help zoos effectively evaluate the interactions between visitors and their animals
5 September 2023
Pheasants at risk on unfamiliar ground

University of Plymouth news: New research involving Dr Mark Whiteside, Lecturer in Animal Welfare, found that pheasants are most likely to be killed by predators on unfamiliar ground.
23 January 2023
Study shows pheasants lose their cool after fighting

Scientists from the University of Plymouth and Exeter used thermal cameras to watch juvenile pheasants and see how their temperature changed during aggressive interactions that establish the pecking order
10 January 2022
Animal groups consider multiple factors before fighting

New research involving the University of Plymouth suggests that groups of animals consider multiple factors before deciding whether to fight rivals
10 November 2020
Judges’ decisions in sport focus more on vigour than skill

A study by the University of Plymouth suggests that, in sporting contests, the rate at which competitors fight is more likely to result in judges awarding victory than the skill with which they attack their opponents
28 October 2020
Simple way of ‘listening’ to chicks could dramatically improve welfare

New research led by the University of Plymouth suggests a simple and low-cost method of ‘listening’ to chicks may allow welfare issues to be picked up at the earliest possible opportunity.
10 June 2020
Sea snakes have been adapting to see underwater for 15 million years

Research led by the University of Plymouth has for the first time provided evidence of where, when and how frequently species of sea snake have adapted their ability to see in colour
28 May 2020
Warmer and acidified oceans can lead to ‘hidden’ changes in species behaviour

Research published in Nature Climate Change, involving scientists at the University of Plymouth, shows that in warmer seawater with lower pH, a common clam – the peppery furrow shell (Scrobicularia plana) – makes considerable changes to its feeding habits
20 January 2020
Film crews capture first evidence of leopard seals sharing food

James Robbins, a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Plymouth, has led a new study which showed up to 36 seals feeding at the same king penguin colony in South Georgia
5 August 2019
Fear of ‘killer shrimps’ could pose major threat to European rivers

Researchers involving the University of Plymouth found the fear of invasive ‘killer shrimps’ can intimidate native organisms to such a degree that they are incapable of performing their vital role in river systems
4 June 2019
New research to explore how skill influences result of animal fights

Scientists from the University of Plymouth have received funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council to examine whether an individual’s skill levels directly influence the results of such fights
7 January 2019