40 Weird Animal Behaviors That Are As Weird As They Are Impressive

There are relatively few animals outside humans that appear to mourn in a humanesque manner. Elephants have highly close-knit social groups, so when one of them passes away, the entire group experiences grief. Elephants grieve their deceased in a highly ritualistic way. It has been seen that they lay their trunks over the body, cover the body with leaves and branches, or stand nearby as if on guard.

With so many limbs, it makes sense that octopuses make excellent pitchers. Using pieces of underwater debris, they may even attack other octopuses directly. Though they don't literally throw with their arms like people do, in 2022, for the first time, researchers have seen cephalopods purposefully throw clumps of sand, fragments of algae, and even shells at one another.

The symbiotic relationship between wolves and ravens yields some fascinating behaviors. Ravens are considered very smart birds. They aren’t the finest hunters, though. To compensate for their lack of skill in that area, ravens mimic wolves to call to them when there is a chance of a catch. Once the wolves dismember the prey, the ravens grab their part of the meat and fly away. A rare fusion of wit and opportunism.

"I'm going to go with bower birds! They decorate their homes with anything they find pretty and color coordinate for hours. Iiiieek adorable."

For quite some time, it has been known that crows can recall the faces of other birds and even people. Not only that, but they can distinguish between humans who have been generous to them and those who were not. Based on research, crows are assumed to be able to memorize facial details for at least 2.7 years. For a bird to remember someone's face after 3 years is a very long period, especially because wild crows only live around 7-8 years. Given the facts above, it may not come as a surprise that crows may and do hold grudges. Even worse, they will tell their family and friends about them.

"Cats because they never really got domesticated, they just accepted the terms of cohabitation and can revoke their consent at any time."

Clownfish will go to considerable lengths to position themselves at the top of the food chain in their group, even if that includes a gender change. Colonies of clownfish are almost invariably matriarchal. The group’s leader and biggest fish is a female. As every clownfish is male at birth, all other members are male. When the female passes away, the most dominant man of the group succeeds her by changing his gender and taking on a female identity. The smaller male in the group then takes on the dominant male’s role. And this spectacle keeps on forever.

A 2009 study found that female zebra finches devoted more resources to egg volume and yolk carotenoid content when partnered with a low genetic-quality male. The study also discovered that when coupled with a male of low parental quality, female zebra finches deposited slightly larger amounts of testosterone into eggs. In layman's terms, the female who finds her partner unattractive lays an egg that is slightly larger and contains more nutrients to counteract the father's undesirable genes.

Don't leave your drinks unattended, and hold on to them tightly since vervet monkeys have been reported to steal booze from bar customers. Apparently, these monkeys share several traits with humans, including a liking for alcohol, making them a fascinating research subject. This led to scientists developing a treatment that decreased drinking by 50% in alcoholic vervet monkeys, potentially offering a future solution for individuals struggling with alcoholism.

Large mucous cocoons that parrotfish wrap themselves in at night are one of their most unusual nocturnal behaviors. The clammy cocoon has many advantages. It contains antibiotics that eliminate recognized parrotfish pathogens and a physical barrier that prevents parasites from approaching the fish. Also, it seems to seal in the sleeper's body odor, hiding it from predators that track scents. The moment the pod is disturbed or torn, the parrotfish awakens and makes a beeline for safety. It somewhat resembles a modern tent with a mosquito net and burglar alarm!

Researchers from Cornell University have discovered that parrots in the wild pass on learned vocal signatures to their offspring, much like in human society. This suggests that every parrot has a name of its own. They also found that the parents made contact calls before the nestlings could make their own calls and that the offspring imitated them as they grew older. This phenomenon also occurred with nestlings reared by foster parents, proving that it is a learned social behavior as opposed to a genetic feature. So far, only humans, dolphins, and parrots have been shown to mimic the signatures of others throughout their lives.

Animals don’t do homeschooling, so most learn through trial and error. Or that’s what we all assumed. However, the youngsters of meerkat families are actually “taught.” The meerkats of Africa are kind and patient tutors to their young, teaching them to be cautious around venomous scorpions, one of their primary food sources. Researchers observed that wild meerkats teach pups prey-handling skills by allowing them to interact with the actual prey. They do this by capturing the scorpions themselves and feeding the pups the scorpions’ corpses. To assist the pups in refining their hunting techniques, parents start exposing the pups to live scorpions as they get older and more experienced.

Reddit user said:
"Despite the popular belief that wolves have an alpha<beta<omega structure, in actuality packs are led by the mothers and fathers of the pack, with their children following them."
 
NikkiBriar replied:
"I know that’s why I love them much. Same with beavers. The babies stick around to help with the next litter."

According to research, carnivorous plants contain reflective properties that bats find acoustically appealing. It's yet another fantastic illustration of how nature and evolution tackle problems! The plants provide the bats with reasonably cool, parasite- and other bat-free spots to roost. In exchange, the bats fertilize the plants with their droppings. We call it a fair exchange.

One of the tiniest penguin species in the Antarctic, the Adélie, might look cute and a bit clumsy, but don't be fooled, these birds are not as innocent as they seem. Lloyd Spencer Davis, an expert on penguin biology and behavior and author of "A Polar Affair," and his colleagues found cases when females would engage in sexual activity with an unpaired male in return for… a stone. After that, the female would return it to her mate and build a nest. In a penguin colony, there is fierce rivalry for suitable stones, which may be viewed as the colony's "currency."

Ants often have their own versions of farm animals, however, in the form of aphids (greenflies or blackflies). However, no one is kept hostage; the relationship between ants and aphids is symbiotic. Aphids are kept on hand to provide honeydew substance for the colonies to feed on. In exchange, the farmer ants protect aphids from predators.

You may have noticed that people tend to adopt the local accent if they live in the area for a while. Well, according to research, young pygmy goats behave in a somewhat similar manner. The researchers observed goats from birth, when they were less exposed to outside stimuli, until five weeks old when they were beginning to form social groups with other goats. The findings supported the hypothesis that the goats' vocalizations developed as they aged and tended to imitate the "accents" of goats in their social group.

The Tennessee fainting goat is the name of the breed that has gained fame for toppling over. This bread has myotonia congenita, a genetic condition that affects the skeletal muscles used for movement. Due to the condition, the muscles' ability to relax can be postponed when they are actively tensed, such as when a goat is fleeing a possible threat. As a result, these muscles become stiff, and the goat becomes immobile. Usually, these goats fall over, giving the impression that they have fainted from fear when startled by something, such as loud noises or sudden movements.

Like humans, honey bees may also "over" indulge and become drunken when given an occasion. Bees can get a "buzz" from fermented tree sap like humans do from alcohol. According to studies done on bees, alcohol consumption affects bees similarly to how it affects people: They move considerably more slowly, and as their intoxication increases, they become less mobile and environmentally aware.

"Ants have graveyards. And ants know if an ant is dead because of a special smell. And if we would take an Ant, cover it in this smell, and put it back, it would go to the graveyard by itself and lay there, until the smell disappears or it dies."

Despite being fluffy and adorable, spotted skunks don't receive much love, perhaps due to their highly pungent protection mechanism. Sometimes described as the acrobat of the skunk world, the spotted skunk does a handstand to startle any approaching predators. The handstand signals that you will get sprayed if you don't back up. And we find it pretty fascinating.

Being referred to as a shrimp doesn't give you a fearsome reputation. However, the pistol shrimp is a unique aquatic marvel that dramatically breaks the cliché. The snapping shrimp, sometimes known as pistol shrimp, gains its cred by creating bubbles. Sounds innocent, right?  These, however, are clearly not your typical soap bubbles; they produce huge amounts of heat and a noise louder than a cannon. These lethal bubbles are "shot" by pistol shrimp to attack prey, jackhammer into a rock to dig tunnels, or defend those burrows from other, envious shrimp. Pretty impressive, to say the least!

Rocks that have broken down, byproducts, and even parrotfish dung ultimately end up as sand. For example, Hawaii's famed white sand beaches were formed from parrotfish excrement. The fish's parrot-like beaks are used to bite and scrape algae off of rocks and decaying corals. Their intestines then grind up the inedible calcium-carbonate reef debris, primarily composed of coral skeletons, and excrete it as sand. Parrotfish may generate hundreds of pounds of white sand a year, all while contributing to the preservation of a rich coral-reef ecosystem!

The turkey vulture pees down its legs and does so on purpose. The process, not to be confused with urinary incontinence, is named urohydrosis. It helps cool down the vultures during hot weather. As the fluids in the waste evaporate, the blood vessels in the foot cool and bring down the bird's body temperature. The bacteria on their legs are also believed to be eliminated by the urine's high acidity.

abspencer22 said:
"The pecking order of horses. If you watch horses in the pasture long enough you will notice the top of the herd and the bottom of the herd."

_austinm replied:
"My in-laws have horses, and during the 2 1/2ish years I’ve been married this is something I’ve found out from them. They’ve explained to me all of their horses’ “personalities,” and the pecking order of both their male and female pastures. I agree it’s a really cool thing to see."

According to studies, male humpback whales in the South Pacific produce distinctive melodies that travel across the ocean and reach other whales who try to replicate the sounds. During one 11-year study, scientists heard humpback whales in the South Pacific singing 11 different songs. Sometimes the songs were entirely original, and other times there were fragments of the previous songs. Still, why males produce the sounds remains a mystery. While some studies have linked their singing to feelings of loneliness, others suggest that the melodies attract females since only males possess singing skills.

Maybe the most clichéd question couples ask one another in jest is, “How far will you go for me?” Humpback whales would be considered the world’s most ardent lovers if this definition was taken at face value. In a 2022 study, scientists found that some whales would swim a great distance just to mate. Less than two months apart, two distinctive males with unique markings on their tails were spotted in two well-known locations for mating: one near Hawaii and the other off the western coast of Mexico. Uhm, that’s a distance of around 3,700 miles.

Since army ants are blind(!), they use chemical (pheromone) trails to navigate their environment. If the trail they follow gets looped in a circle, army ants will all continue to follow the looped trail until they die from exhaustion. This phenomenon is called an ant mill or “death spiral.”

One of several fish species that mouth brood or incubate their eggs in their mouths is the yellow-headed jawfish. The male takes the fertilized eggs into his mouth and incubates them for many days after the female has laid an egg mass. Many dads may find their hands full when caring for their children, but this fish has his mouth full with scores of his children!

Bumphead parrotfish are so named because of their peculiar feeding habits. They "bump" into coral with their enormous heads, fracturing it into smaller, easier-to-digest pieces. According to Roldan Munoz of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the bump may also be used to headbutt rivals. Munoz's research team discovered that the males were head-butting and attempting to bite each other on the sides.

Using a sucker on top of their heads to cling to the bodies of the megafauna they haunt, remoras are renowned for being superb cleaners. Firmly attached, they remove parasites from giant animals, maintaining the health of their host and scavenging some leftover food for themselves. However, the lines become murky when they disturb whale sharks' number two to eat their poop. To battle lavatory lurkers, whale sharks have been observed doing vigorous tail thrashes to scare off remoras—an actual pain in the butt for whale sharks.

According to research, pigeons would also try their luck if given a chance. In a study by the University of Kentucky, pigeons were given the option between two lights: one that would consistently provide three food pellets or another that would give them a big "win" of 10 pellets 20% of the time. In light of evolution, researchers expected the pigeons to prefer the foolproof three-pellet light. However, pigeons most often ventured to take a risk and bet on the 10-pellet payout. Like human gamblers, the pigeons decided to try for the jackpot rather than play it safe!

If you’re a white-throated snapping turtle, you could think that every breath you take and every move you make is... a little odd. This is because this kind of turtle is well-recognized for being able to breathe through its rear end. The word “cloacal respiration,” which describes the turtles’ ability to absorb air through tissues on their backsides, conveys that more elegantly.

ThoughtIWasDale said:
"How one species, dog (canis domesticus) has the genetic capacity to be bred to look so different, has so many inherent skills that can be brought out (hunting; herding, etc.), and can be trained to do a bunch of different jobs (search and rescue; drug sniffing, etc)."

Drakmanka replied:
"I find dogs fascinating. We created dogs. They might be genetically compatible with wolves, but they're nothing like them anymore, they think differently, and they order themselves differently. It's amazing what untold millennia of selective breeding have done. It's also sad to see breeds like pugs getting selectively bred to be a specific way that causes them so many health problems."

The horned lizard takes the expression "blood in your eye" to a whole new level, so if you've ever been so enraged you saw red, back up. A horned lizard's final means of defense against a threat is to shoot blood out of its eye sockets. As a result, the predator often becomes terrified and runs away. And honestly, who wouldn't?

Naked, blind, and living in complete darkness, the mole rat can move as quickly backward as it can forward, which is weird but also very impressive. The way the mole rat communicates is likewise fascinating. The mole rat uses tapping on the ground as a means of communication in addition to hearing sounds and smelling, their two other identified means of communication.

In 2022, a long-fingered lemur was caught picking its nose and eating the slimy goods. This sensational news would be on the tabloid cover if the animals published their own. The culprit was Kali, an aye-aye at the Duke Lemur Center who now has the dubious notoriety of being the first member of her species to be caught picking her nose. In addition to aye-ayes, at least 11 other species exhibit the yuck behavior, including chimpanzees, gorillas, capuchin monkeys, and, yes, humans. The aye-aye, however, has to be the world’s best nose picker since her eerily long middle finger, when completely inserted in the nose, reaches all the way into the throat. Not that you had to know this particularly important piece of information, but you’re welcome.

The dramatic clip, which once more featured killer whales, showed them trapping a seal in the frigid waters off Antarctica, employing a peculiar hunting technique. To attack the seal that had taken shelter on a drifting iceberg, the killer whales started swimming parallel to one another, which caused a wave that cracked the platform. The second wave ultimately threw the seal off the ice and into the ocean. While the seal was underwater, the whales utilized another hunting tactic, which involved blowing bubbles to confuse the seal and make it easier to catch. Supposedly this kind of synchronized hunting is called “wave-crashing.”

"How sharks communicate who is in charge. They basically swim parallel and square up to each other to see who got bigger gains."

"Our Maine Coon cat routinely lies on his back in the bathtub with his 4 paws straight up and his tongue out under the spout to catch every drip of water.

He'll do this for hours at a time, even though his water bowl is filled with fresh water."