In shrikes (Laniidae) social monogamy is commonly occurs reproductive system. However, many kinds of behaviour look like an adaptation to extra-pair copulations were also described. The paper presents a popular synthesis of studies done on behavioural ecology of shrikes in Poland. Major part of study was possible because in Polish farmland still living quite dense and stable population of two shrike species: great-grey shrike Lanius excubitor and red-backed shrike L. collurio. We believe that some obtained findings may help to understand animals behaviour generally, and birds particularly. Especially fact than great grey shrike males offer quality of food to female before copulation, according to mate status: worst to an official social partner, and better to extra-pair female. Moreover, extra-pair copulations were realised in open places, but extra-pair in hidden sites. More details, including information on study area, used methods and statistical analysis, can be find in published scientific papers listed below.
Social interactions of captive Apodemus microps Kratochvil et Rosicky, 1952 were studied in dyadic encounters. In neutral-cage conditions both sexes showed exceptionally high proportion of amicable behaviour (on average ca 30% of the total time) and very low proportion of agonistic behaviour (up to 2.1%), when compared to patterns reported in other Apodemus species. The high share of amicable behaviour cannot be simply explained by decreased aggression. Mice actively offered amicable acts to their unfamiliar conspecifics even during the short-time (ten-minute) encounters. This phenomenon may be interpreted as a cooperative strategy. However, the near absence of aggression in A. microps could be altered by specific social contexts: males, but not females, became mutually agonistic when tested in a home-cage or in the presence of a female.