Same Space, Different Species: The Influence of Exhibit Design on the Expression of Zoo-Housed Apes’ Species-Typical Retiring Behaviors
Wild chimpanzees frequently make arboreal nests, while wild lowland gorillas typically nest on the ground. We aimed to understand whether zoo-housed apes’ use of elevated spaces for retiring similarly differed between species and across exhibits. Using a pre-planned exhibit switch at Lincoln Park Zoo (Chicago, USA), we compared where (elevated or terrestrial) two groups of […]
Effects of early rearing experience on adult behavior and nesting in captive Hawaiian crows (Corvus hawaiiensis)
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.10024.abs Behavioral data were collected during the breeding season on eight pairs of Hawaiian crows (Corvus hawaiiensis) housed at two facilities on different islands. All data were collected from videocamera time-lapse recordings of the nesting platforms. Behaviors included frequency of nest cup manipulation, percent of time spent on nest, allopreening, play, and stereotypy. The […]
The king penguin Aptenodytes patagonicus, a non-nesting bird which selects its breeding habitat
Birds are expected to choose their breeding sites according to ‘ideal’ distribution models (Fretwell & Lucas 1970), so that their reproductive output is maximized (Cody 1985). However, studies of breeding habitat selection hitherto conducted on birds have only concerned true nesting species, that is, species that incubate their eggs in a nest or in a […]
Sex-specific activity and function of hypothalamic nonapeptide neurons during nest-building in zebra finches
Vertebrate species from fish to humans engage in a complex set of preparatory behaviors referred to as nesting; yet despite its phylogenetic ubiquity, the physiological and neural mechanisms that underlie nesting are not well known. We here test the hypothesis that nesting behavior is influenced by the vasopressin–oxytocin (VP–OT) peptides, based upon the roles they […]
Chimpanzee nesting patterns in savanna habitat: Environmental influences and preferences
Data on chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) nesting patterns were collected in Issa, Ugalla, western Tanzania. Ugalla is one of the driest, most open, and seasonal habitats inhabited by chimpanzees. We investigated the physical characteristics of nests and trees used for nesting to understand environmental influences on nest building and identify the characteristics preferred by the chimpanzees […]
Birds choose long-term partners years before breeding
Pair bonds can provide social benefits to long-term monogamous species alongside their benefits for reproduction. However, little is known about when these bonds form, in particular how long they are present before breeding. Previous studies of pair formation in long-term monogamous birds have been rather data-limited, but for many migratory birds they report pair formation […]