Loner or socializer? Ravens’ adrenocortical response to individual separation depends on social integration
Non-breeding common ravens (Corvus corax) live in complex social groups with a high degree of fission–fusion dynamics. They form valuable relationships and alliances with some conspecifics, while taking coordinated action against others. In ravens, affiliates reconcile their conflicts, console each other after conflicts with a third party, and provide each other with social support — […]
Friends give benefits: autumn social familiarity preferences predict reproductive output
Fission–fusion dynamics create social instability, as individuals must adjust to changes in group size and composition. In many social species, group changes are associated with increases in aggression, stress responses and individual mortality. It has been hypothesized that fission–fusion processes select for strong bonds between familiar individuals that provide a predictable social environment across group […]