Wolf Ethogram H-P

The wolf ethogram behavior cards are listed in alphabetical order on every page. Each card includes a photo demonstrating the behavior, its name, and the code or abbreviation on the front. Hover your mouse over the picture to “flip” the card to see the back and learn about the behavior category and definition.

As you watch the live cams, you may see certain behaviors more frequently. The 20 most commonly seen behaviors are marked with an asterisk.

Download our ethogram worksheets and practice tracking wolf behaviors while viewing the Live Wolf Cams
Portrait Wolf Ethogram Worksheet | Landscape Wolf Ethogram Worksheet

Select a Group of Behavior Cards:

Behavior Category Descriptions A-G H-P R-S T-Z

Dominance, Food/Predatory
Hackles are a good indicator of the animal’s mood. Raised hackles tend to make the wolf look larger than it actually is and indicates the degree of aggressive arousal. Usually, the farther down the back the hair is raised, the more aroused the animal is. In the most extreme cases, even the tail fur is puffed up (H1234). Although rare, it is possible for a wolf to raise hackles out of sequence, such as neck and rump (H13).

Hackles (H_)
Dominance
To persistently annoy, attack or bother another wolf.

Harass (HR)
Dominance, Food/Predatory
With something held in the jaws, the head is vigorously shaken from side to side. It may be done while holding inanimate objects, such as food, to tear or clean the object or be done to another wolf in an intensive dominance display.

Head Shake (HS)
Social
To invite chase by dodging behind obstacles. This is likely to occur with frequent change of directions around bushes, trees and rocks.

Hide & Seek (H&S)
Dominance
Pivoting on the forepaws and slamming into another wolf with its hindquarters.

Hipslam (HSL)
Investigatory
To make a long, wavering open-mouthed vocalization.

Howl (HL)*
Food/Predatory, Social
Three or more wolves howling together.

Howl, Chorus (HC)
Social
Two wolves howling at the same time.

Howl, Duet (HD)
Dominance
To refuse to notice or pay attention to the actions of other wolves.

Ignore (IG)
Dominance, Rest
To expose the groin area to another wolf or to a human. This submissive posture may be done while standing but is more often done while lying down or rolling onto the back.

Inguinal Presentation (IP)
Social
Often prefaced by a play bow, the chase invitation is characterized by running rapidly while splaying the paws out from the body side to side.

Invite, Chase (IC)
Social
Two wolves “fencing” with wide open jaws.

Jaw Spar (JS)*
Food/Predatory
To leave a surface with all four feet. The jump can be horizontal, where the wolf jumps from place to place and holds its back parallel to the ground, or vertical, where the wolf raises its front legs first, puts its back into a vertical position, and lifts its hind legs from the ground.

Jump (JP)
Food/Predatory
Rearing up on hind legs and coming down hard on the forelegs; may be a mechanism for breaking ice or pinning small prey.

Jump, Stiff Legged (JSL)
Social
Depart; to go away from a place or another wolf.

Leave (LV)
Food/Predatory, Social, Investigatory
To pass the tongue across the surface of something; used for individual and social grooming, greeting and food begging.

Lick (LK)
Dominance, Food/Predatory
Curl of lip to reveal a canine tooth. Often included in a threat display and/or display of possession.

Lip Curl (LC)
Food/Predatory
A sudden, strong attacking movement forward, sometimes resulting in an inhibited bite.

Lunge (LU)
Dominance
Two or more wolves crowding around another wolf in a noisy, harassing manner.

Mob (MB)
Dominance
One wolf on top of another, usually while both are standing; similar to a ride up except done from behind. At the Center, the wolves are neutered and spayed, so this is dominance, rather than mating, behavior.

Mount (MT)
Food/Predatory, Investigatory
To put and hold something in the mouth, changing the grip repeatedly.

Mouth (MO)
Dominance, Investigatory
To deliberately mark beside or on top of the urine mark of another wolf.

Over Mark (OM)
Social
To walk side by side, often with bodies in contact and tails wagging; usually done by the dominant pair.

Parallel Walk (PW)
Dominance, Social, Investigatory
To scrape or strike something or a wolf repeatedly with the paw or wave it in front of another wolf.

Paw (PA)
Dominance
To lunge and bite at the neck or muzzle, forcing the wolf to the ground and holding it there.

Pin (PN)
Food/Predatory
To pull out by the roots some or all of the feathers or hair from carcasses. Also done when grooming, especially while shedding.

Pluck (PK)
Social
To stand tall and adopt a physical posture.

Pose (PO)
Food/Predatory
To jump suddenly toward or onto something, especially onto prey.

Pounce (PC)
Food/Predatory, Investigatory
To tug at or jerk something or another wolf. Sometimes wolves will pull each other by the tail, leg, scruff or ear. The wolf being pulled typically remains on its feet.

Pull (PL)

Wolf Ethogram H-P

Wolf Ethogram H-P

Select a Group of Behavior Cards:

Hackles (H_)

Harass (HR)

Head Shake (HS)

Hide & Seek (H&S)

Hipslam (HSL)

Howl (HL)*

Howl, Chorus (HC)

Howl, Duet (HD)

Ignore (IG)

Inguinal Presentation (IP)

Invite, Chase (IC)

Jaw Spar (JS)*

Jump (JP)

Jump, Stiff Legged (JSL)

Leave (LV)

Lick (LK)

Lip Curl (LC)

Lunge (LU)

Mob (MB)

Mount (MT)

Mouth (MO)

Over Mark (OM)

Parallel Walk (PW)

Paw (PA)

Pin (PN)

Pluck (PK)

Pose (PO)

Pounce (PC)

Pull (PL)