In both love and war, alligators signal size by bellowing

American alligators produce loud, low-frequency vocalizations called “bellows.” Cognitive biologists at the University of Vienna, Stephan Reber and Tecumseh Fitch, investigated these vocalizations and found that they reveal the caller’s body size. Alligators can use this information to avoid unpromising contests for mates and breeding areas. The study results were published in Scientific Reports.