Animal behavior books
Animal behavior books to start from. Open one to see books like it, or tell BookSense what you loved for four picks made for you.
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New to the genre? These 5 are the books to read first.
An Immense World
Ed YongA survey of how different animals perceive the world through senses humans lack, such as electric, magnetic, and ultraviolet sensing, and why this shapes behavior.
Behave
Robert M. SapolskyA long account of the many causes of a single act, from seconds-old neural events to evolutionary history, using human and animal examples.
The Selfish Gene
Richard DawkinsArgues that selection acts on genes, and uses this view to explain cooperation and altruism in animals; it shaped how many researchers framed behavior.
In the Shadow of Man
Jane GoodallGoodall's account of her long field study of chimpanzees at Gombe, including tool use and social behavior that changed views of the species.
The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals
Charles DarwinAn early comparative study of facial expression and bodily display across species, and a foundation for later work on animal emotion.
Chosen and described with AI from our notes on the genre.
More animal behavior books
- The Study of Instinct
The Study of InstinctN. Tinbergen - King Solomon's Ring
King Solomon's RingKonrad Lorenz - The Dancing Bees
The Dancing BeesKarl von Frisch - Animal Behavior
Animal BehaviorJohn Alcock - Animals in Translation
Animals in TranslationTemple Grandin - Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are?
Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are?Frans de Waal - Measuring Behaviour
Measuring BehaviourMelissa Bateson - The Intelligence of Dogs
The Intelligence of DogsStanley Coren - Biological Exuberance
Biological ExuberanceBruce Bagemihl - Getting the most out of life
Getting the most out of lifeAlan Devoe1946 - Never cry wolf
Never cry wolfFarley Mowat1963 - The heart of Thoreau's journals
The heart of Thoreau's journalsHenry David Thoreau1906