The Ripple Effect of Stress: How One Bird's Anxiety Spreads Across the Flock

A study from the University of Konstanz reveals that stress in individual birds can impact the behavior of non-stressed birds in the group. The research focused on zebra finches and found that stressed individuals led to lower activity levels and fewer social bonds among non-stressed group members.

A recent study by researchers at the University of Konstanz, Germany, highlights how stress in individual birds can influence the behavior of their entire social group. Examining 96 zebra finches, the study found that non-stressed birds mimicked the lower activity levels of their stressed counterparts.

Conducted over three rounds of experiments, the research exposed some birds to stress factors like loud noises, observing how these disruptions affected overall group dynamics. The study reveals that as more birds experienced stress, their unstressed peers moved less and explored their environment less.

The study underscores the broader implications of stress within animal social structures, noting that social cohesion and resource access might be impacted. The findings suggest that reducing weak social ties could also minimize risk of stress transmission across the group.

(With inputs from agencies.)