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Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

In Germany? Got a TV? Home tonight? Watch a beautiful feature about the wonders of animal migration and the ICARUS scientists revealing the paths of some species for the first time. 📺 20:15 on ARD (or stream it via link 👇) @uni-konstanz.de @cbehav.bsky.social www.ardmediathek.de/tv-programm/...

ardmediathek.de

Vorschau: Das Geheimnis der Tierwanderungen mit Dirk Steffens

Das Erste am 28.09.2026: Jeden Tag sind Billionen Tiere auf der ganzen Welt unterwegs – von winzigen Insekten bis zu den größten Walen der Erde. Dirk Steffens folgt den erstaunlichsten Tierwanderungen...

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Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

How do orangutans build their huge diet profiles before adulthood? @revathe.bsky.social and colleagues show, for the first time, how multiple forms of learning interact over many years to build broad, survival-relevant ecological skills in a wild great ape. Paper: doi.org/10.1126/scie...

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Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

GREAT opportunity for anybody interested in a PhD in animal behavior.

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Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

So happy to see this work by Emily Grout and team! Their results indicate that white-nosed coatis likely have individually recognisable calls. Team from @livingingroups.bsky.social = @pminasandra.bsky.social + Ali Ashbury @meg-crofoot.bsky.social @arispeshkin.bsky.social

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Reposted by Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior

Hester Bronnvik @hbronnv.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Sometimes the question isn’t “Can I survive on my own?" It’s “Is leaving worth it?” Delaying independence lets juveniles make a choice: to leave based on external conditions, not just developmental milestones. @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social @royalsocietypublishing.org doi.org/10.1098/rsos...

doi.org

Decoupling of emigration timing and skill acquisition in a saturated population of golden eagles

Abstract. Many animals must gain independence from parental care by acquiring skills necessary for survival. Thus, the rate of skill acquisition can predic

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Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Beautiful story by @edyong209.bsky.social about our collaborator Peter Palatitz and team who put tags on red falcons to discover “Falcopolis”. Coming soon, many more tags will be attached to falcons in Angola to learn more about this mysterious metropolis. www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/arti...

nationalgeographic.com

A Million Falcons Went Missing From Eastern Europe. Here’s How They Were Found

For years, the secret winter home of rare red-footed falcons remained a mystery. Then an ornithologist discovered the hidden world of “Falcopolis.”

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Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

How did cognition evolve? 🧠 On the sandy bottom of Lake Tanganyika, scientists asked wild fish how they make decisions, revealing how two closely related species diverge in surprising ways. Paper ▶️ www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/... Story ▶️ www.ab.mpg.de/1452608/news...

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Reposted by Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior

Zoë Goldsborough @zoegoldsborough.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Imagine you are a white-faced capuchin monkey on Jicarón island learning how to use stone tools 🔨 Your mother does not use tools, so who do you turn to as a model? Our new manuscript answering this question is out now in Animal Behaviour @asab.org. doi.org/10.1016/j.an.... A 🧵 of our findings (1/10)

A juvenile white-faced capuchin monkey eating a coconut. Photo credits Christian Ziegler

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Zoë Goldsborough @zoegoldsborough.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Would chimpanzees or bonobos huddle before a penalty shootout in the World Cup? 🐵⚽ In both species, reassuring body contact promotes social tolerance, read more in our new study led by Jake Brooker out now in @royalsociety.org Proc B. (doi.org/10.1098/rspb...) A thread of the main findings 🧵 (1/10)

Examples of bonobo and chimpanzee reassurance behaviours. Top panels depict bonobos engaging in genital touching (left) and hand grasping (right) taken by Z. Clay at Lola ya Bonobo Sanctuary. Bottom panels depict chimpanzees engaging in mouth-to-body contact (left) and embracing (right) taken by J.S. Brooker at Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage Trust.

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Reposted by Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior

Cecilia Baldoni @cecibaldoni.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

... And this is how she might look in captivity 🤣 👇 #isbe2026 @isbe2026.bsky.social @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social

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IMPRS-QBEE @imprs-qbee.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

No better way to deal with this heat wave than to have our yearly IMPRS summer meeting next to the lake ☀ @uni-konstanz.de

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Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

🩰 🐾 Step into the space between animal movement and contemporary dance. Join us in #Konstanz for PULSE, a performance by choreographer and dancer Mounir Saeed. 📅 17 July 2026  🕖 7:00 pm (doors open 6:30 pm)  📍 KULA   🎟️ Free entry ▶️ www.ab.mpg.de/events/45934...

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Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

Congratulations Zoë! We are proud to be hosting your Minerva Fast Track Fellowship and research group!

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Max-Planck-Gesellschaft @maxplanck.de · 29/05/2026

An internal compass: #pigeons use magnetically responsive immune cells in their livers to sense Earth’s magnetic field, helping them navigate without visual cues like the sun. www.youtube.com/watch?v=-s8i... @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social @science.org

youtube.com

Pigeons navigate using magnetic sensors in their livers

YouTube video by Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior

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Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

New mechanism for magnetic sensing in pigeons 🧭 Homing pigeons use magnetically responsive immune cells in their livers to sense Earth’s magnetic field, helping them navigate without visual cues like the sun. Published in Science: doi.org/10.1126/scie... @unibonn.bsky.social @unidue.bsky.social

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Max-Planck-Gesellschaft @maxplanck.de · 26/05/2026

A new satellite for #wildlife monitoring – a research project by the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior – aims to combat #poaching in Africa. www.bbc.com/future/artic... @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social

bbc.com

We can now track animal panic from space. Here's why it matters

The new Icarus satellite is tracking signals hidden in animal behaviour – which could save the lives of cheetahs, rhinos and elephants.

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AniMove @animove-course.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

tik tok tik tok......only 18 more days to sign up for #Animove26 ! 🤗 @animaltracking.bsky.social @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social #animalmovement #remotesensing

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Reposted by Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior

Ryan Greenway @ryangreenway.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

Out now in @ecol-evol.bsky.social. Vector use in sympatric #Caenorhabditis nematodes. We document associations between three Caen. species and their dispersal vectors, finally name C. sp. 8 -> C. apta, and infer that C. apta may have spread with the invasive #beetle, Stelidota geminata doi.org/q5tq

doi.org

Differential Phoretic Vector Use Among Sympatric Caenorhabditis Nematodes and an Association With Invasive Nitidulid Beetles in Southwestern Germany

We show evidence for differential host use among the three sympatric Caenorhabditis, and a novel association with nitidulid beetles for C. apta sp. n. This information adds to our understanding of ho....

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Reposted by Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior

Ecology of Animal Societies @livingingroups.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

Is bigger always better? For social animals, group size is a dilemma: big groups face more internal competition, yet hold an edge over smaller neighbors. 33 years of data on 12 wild capuchin groups reveals how these forces shape behavior. Out today in *Nat Eco & Evo*: www.nature.com/articles/s41...

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Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social · 03/05/2026

Our second ICARUS system is in space 🚀🛰️ At 9am PT, a Falcon 9 rocket left Earth from California, taking an ICARUS payload with it. This is the beginning of ICARUS 2.0—independent, robust, real-time—with more ICARUS satellites to come. Read more▶️https://tinyurl.com/mw48c398 📸 Space X, EnduroSat

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Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

Wild meat is central to Central African communities. It's food, income, status. It's also unsustainable. How can conservation be balanced with food security? In Nature, Mattia Bessone @cbehav.bsky.social @uni-konstanz.de et al. offer solutions for sustainable management youtube.com/shorts/V0-jW...

youtube.com

Why do we care about wild meat?

YouTube video by Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior

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Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

So proud of our PhD graduate Zoe! Her groundbreaking thesis shows us how tool use in animals shapes survival and evolution 🐒 🔨 👏

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Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social · 17/04/2026

PLS RT📣 Two Postdoc jobs at #mpaib with Serena Ding on collective behavior of worms (Never seen a "wormuration"? That's them in green) 🪱 social dynamics of collective dispersal: bewerbermanagement.net/jobposting/2... 🪱 sensory ecology of worm towers: bewerbermanagement.net/jobposting/7...

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Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

Fantastic news! Hector Foundation grant will support Uni Konstanz for the next seven years. This includes continuing support for @cbehav.bsky.social and its mission of interdisciplinary, quantitative collective behaviour research.

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Zoë Goldsborough @zoegoldsborough.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

It was an absolutely amazing talk!! It was a real honor to host you here and hear so many inspired discussions @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social

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Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

For research that "has transformed our understanding of bird migration" Andrea Flack is awarded the British Ornithologists’ Union Early Professional Award @anflack.bsky.social As Andrea's students will attest, "she is an excellent supervisor" too. Congrats @anflack.bsky.social and the Flack Flock

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Will Oestreich @will-oestreich.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

New paper in TREE co-led w @jennakohles.bsky.social: We explore how resource variability shapes the value of social information for maximizing resource gain & minimizing variance. This eco-evolutionary lens helps us explain why collective sensing emerges in dynamic ecosystems! 🧪 tinyurl.com/2rurcry7

tinyurl.com

Resource variability shapes the ecology of social information and collective sensing

Social information expands individual sensing of resources in dynamic ecosystems, yet why social strategies evolve in resource pursuit remains unsettled. We posit that resource variability along three...

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Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social · 18/03/2026

You know both these people….and both are 2026 National Geographic 33 honorees 🎉 These are people tackling the world's most pressing challenges and driving meaningful breakthroughs. To Martin, Harrison + 31 #NatGeo33 changemakers: may the force be with you ⭐ on.natgeo.com/NG33EXMWHL @uni-konstanz.de

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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences @pnas.org · 12/03/2026

Addressing global biodiversity loss needs more than data collection. A new PNAS Perspective from the 2025 US–UK Scientific Forum outlines 9 changes to improve how biodiversity is measured and used for conservation. Read now: ow.ly/BH5Q50YsXUY Forum: ow.ly/U5ZV50YsUTK

PNAS – Nine changes needed to deliver a radical transformation in biodiversity measurement by William J. Sutherland, Neil D. Burgess, Scott V. Edwards, et al. Read now!

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Reposted by Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior

Matthias Loretto @handle.invalid · 13/03/2026

For decades biologists assumed ravens follow wolves to their kills. Our paper @science.org shows something different: ravens rarely follow wolves far. Instead they remember areas where wolf kills are common and return to them—sometimes from >150 km away. doi.org/10.1126/science.adz9467 📷Dan Stahler

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Max-Planck-Gesellschaft @maxplanck.de · 13/03/2026

#Wolves kill—and #ravens remember where: In #Yellowstone National Park, birds primarily search for food in areas where wolves frequently hunt prey www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpqZ... [YouTube] www.mpg.de/26220626/030... [News] @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social

youtube.com

Ravens and wolves in Yellowstone National Park

YouTube video by Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior

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Ryan Greenway @ryangreenway.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

New preprint from the Genes and Behavior group! @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social @cbehav.bsky.social Youn Jae Kang led this study on the evolution of a collective behavior in C. elegans. doi.org/qq3t

Multi panel figure from a scientific manuscript. Panel A shows a map of the globe with sampling sites for different isolates of C. elegans indicated. Panel B shows two plots demonstrating variation in different aspects of a collective aggregation behavior among globally collected strains. Two strains which greatly differ in the magnitude of aggregation are highlighted below the graphs, with circular plots showing the representative distribution of worms during experiments. The less aggregating strain has individuals dispersed across the field of view, the more aggregating has clumps of individuals gathered together.

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Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social · 14/02/2026

It's world bonobo day, and there's so much more to learn about our closest living relative. What happened to the bonobo "Hugo" last year shocked researchers. Without long-term studies like LuiKotale, Hugo's story would not be heard. @sonya-ofthejungle.bsky.social youtu.be/tbt0otbGgS4?...

youtu.be

An "extreme attack" by a peaceful ape

YouTube video by Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior

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Ahmed El Hady @zamakany.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

Konstanz School of Collective Behavior 2026 is one of a kind school where students delve into state of the art research on collective behavior. Apply here: www.exc.uni-konstanz.de/kscb/applica... Deadline: March 15th, 2026 @cbehav.bsky.social @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social @uni-konstanz.de

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Methods in Ecology and Evolution @methodsinecoevol.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

Check out our new blog post!🚨 Authors provide an overview of the animal2vec framework, including its capabilities and potential for usage in animal behavior, ecology, and conservation research 🔊 🌍 🧪 Read more here👇

buff.ly

Detecting and classifying animal calls from audio data using animal2vec

Post provided by Julian Schäfer-Zimmermann An introduction for people lacking a machine-learning background We provide a non-technical explanation of the animal2vec framework, including its capabil…

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Reposted by Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior

Universität Konstanz @uni-konstanz.de · 02/02/2026

The Hector Foundation has honoured #UniKonstanz-based behavioural biologist Iain Couzin with the Hector Award for outstanding scientific achievements and exceptional mentorships in the field of collective behaviour. @cbehav.bsky.social Full story: t1p.de/7yq10

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AniMove @animove-course.bsky.social · 27/01/2026

Excited to announce our courses for #MovementEcology.🤗 This year we will be in #Africa @mpalarc.bsky.social at Mpala Research Centre. Starting with a basic R course designed for #AfricanResearchers, followed by a two-week international Animove workshop. animove.org/basic-r-cour... Please share 👍

animove.org

Basic R Course 2026 / Kenya | AniMove

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Vlad Demartsev @animal-sounds.bsky.social · 01/02/2026

🧪Before the day begins, meerkats share a unique ritual. After emerging from their burrows, they spend up to an hour "sunning" to warm up for the day. During this quiet time, they produce soft, tonal "sunning calls". Just standing, sunbathing, and calling. But why❓ #bioacoustics #meerkats #kalahari

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Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social · 18/12/2025

It’s not just us who are fascinated by fish. Study showing fish recognize individual divers is in the top 10 most popular papers in Royal Society in 2025. Maëlan Tomasek, Katinka Soller + Alex Jordan’s 🐟paper is with clever cockies @lucymaplin.bsky.social et al. royalsociety.org/blog/2025/12...

royalsociety.org

Celebrating the most popular papers of 2025 | Royal Society

As 2025 draws to a close, we’re excited to reveal the top 10 most popular papers from across the Royal Society’s journals, ranked by Altmetric attention scores. These studies captured global interest,...

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IMPRS-QBEE @imprs-qbee.bsky.social · 15/12/2025

How do pigeons balance the need to feed with the need to stay safe? IMPRS-QBEE student Mathilde Delacoux working with Fumihiro Kano, uses motion capture to study how information transfers through pigeon flocks. @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social youtube.com/shorts/w5p_Z...

youtube.com

Mathilde Delacoux | Collective vigilance in pigeons

YouTube video by Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior

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Humboldt-Stiftung @humboldt-foundation.de · 17/12/2025

Ape societies reveal much about our own. 💡 We talked to @meg-crofoot.bsky.social from @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social about the significance of her research for us humans – and the importance of #AcademicFreedom. More in our new Humboldt Kosmos magazine: www.humboldt-foundation.de/en/explore/m...

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AniMove @animove-course.bsky.social · 08/12/2025

Weekend break was fun, now back to work 👍 Whilst the first week was teaching heavy, the second week is focusing on the learned new methods using data sets that everyone has brought along to work with.

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AniMove @animove-course.bsky.social · 05/12/2025

The fourth day of #AnimoveCR was all about environmental context, how to download and process information about our planet (remote sensing and climate data). The day ended with a fantastic talk by @njklappstein.bsky.social speaking about her research on polar bears 🐻‍❄️ @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social

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