Researchers from University of Plymouth and University of Exeter conducted a study where they tracked thermographic changes in captive juvenile pheasant flocks as they had spontaneous aggressive interactions during a short confinement time frame. The researchers used thermal cameras to observe the young pheasants and their temperature changes during aggressive interactions which put in place the pecking order.
The study had 126 6-7 week-old pheasants that were reared at a research farm. The pheasants were a mix of unrelated pheasants, half siblings, and full siblings. The researchers documented aggressive dominance behavior acts, which naturally happened in groups of captive-reared young pheasants, and detailed infrared thermographic measurements of the temperature of their heads.
It was found that in brief seconds before an attack their head temperature greatly decreased after which it rose and then gradually diminished to baseline levels. On average, the temperature of the aggressors was higher than that of the recipients, however, the temperature changes were similar for both.
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