Manakins' dazzling dances may owe their origins to an ancient diet shift
Few animals put on a show quite like manakins. In the rainforests of Central and South America, males of these small tropical birds, with strikingly bright plumage, often gather at communal display sites (leks), where they clear their own dance courts and spend much of their lives performing high-speed backflips, snapping their wings like firecrackers, and running through choreographed routines with other males, all to attract a mate.
Animal stories cover species recovery, rescue operations, conservation milestones, and the moments where humans and animals connect in unexpected ways. We are particularly interested in population recoveries for endangered species, successful rewilding programs, and veterinary breakthroughs.
Animals from different species often rely on surprisingly sophisticated communication to work together, whether finding …
Animal pairs engage in mutual signaling by simultaneously performing a diverse repertoire of behaviors. A famous example…
These fathers brood, carry, feed and defend their young at astonishing cost.
Goldfish Swimbappe's World Cup predictions make a splash in Toronto Reuters