Recently, a putative magnetoreceptor in the upper-beak skin of homing pigeons was chemically characterized using X-ray flourescence and absorbtion studies [Fleissner et al., 2007. A novel concept of Fe-mineral based magnetoreception: histological and physiochemical data from the upper beak of homing pigeons. Naturwissenschaften 94 (8), 631-642]. In this short communication we point out that the...

Beak trimming is used worldwide as a method of reducing the damage to feathers and skin caused by injurious pecking in laying hens. However, beak trimming also causes some welfare issues as trimming the beak results in pain and sensory loss. Due to this dilemma, there is an ongoing discussion in several European countries about whether to ban beak trimming. In this study, we investigated the we...

Humans are an increasingly common influence on the evolution of natural populations. Potential arenas of influence include altered evolutionary trajectories within populations and modifications of the process of divergence among populations. We consider this second arena in the medium ground finch (Geospiza fortis) on Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos, Ecuador. Our study compared the G. fortis popul...

We describe the physics behind a peculiar feeding mechanism of a certain class of shorebirds, in which they transport their prey in droplets from their beak tips mouthwards. The subtle interplay between the drop and the beak's tweezering motion allows the birds to defy gravity through driving the drop upwards. This mechanism provides a novel example of dynamic boundary-driven drop motion, and s...

Over thirty years ago anecdotal accounts of the undescribed Larger Pacific Striped Octopus suggested behaviors previously unknown for octopuses. Beak-to-beak mating, dens shared by mating pairs, inking during mating and extended spawning were mentioned in publications, and enticed generations of cephalopod biologists. In 2012-2014 we were able to obtain several live specimens of this species, w...

Theory shows that the presence of behavioural switching between alternative resources can contribute to coexistence when competitors differ in trophic-related traits. In addition, switching can generate disruptive selection on such traits in a low-diversity community, increasing the number of species. Both of these processes should produce communities in which species differ in their values of ...