Head-Shaking

An abrupt shaking of the head, which causes the ears to flap sharply and dust to fly. Head-Shaking usually starts by the elephant twisting the head to one side and then rapidly rotating it from side to side. The ears slap against the side of the face or neck making a loud smacking sound.

Head-Shaking occurs in a broad range of contexts. It can be a sign of an individual's annoyance with or disapproval of an individual or circumstance. It can be used as a threat to other elephants or in confrontations with predators, as well as in play in feign annoyance. It also occurs during intense social events such as Greeting-Ceremonies or the arrival of an awaited individual.

Head-Shaking may also occur after a longish period of contemplation - as if the individual has considered something and the Head-Shake is an outward expression of those feelings. Head-Shaking also typically follows a bout of mud-splashing or mud wallowing.

This behavior is observed in all age/sex groups except during Affiliative bonding behavior in which it is limited to female adults, adolescents, juveniles and calves.

References: Douglas-Hamilton 1972: ch 6; Eltringham 1982; Poole 1987a; Moss 1988; Moss 1992: 129; Payne & Langbauer 1992; Poole 1996: 147; Langbauer 2000; Poole & Granli 2003. (Full reference list)

This behavior occurs in the following context(s): Affiliative, Aggressive, Attentive, Calf Reassurance & Protection, Conflict & Confrontation, Lone & Object Play, Social Play, Submissive, Protest & Distress

Head-Shaking

Context: Attentive (1)

We're not sure why she Head-Shakes - someone coming and perhaps she is worried she will be displaced (adult female Selengei arrives a little bit after) or does she just feel good? (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Head-Shaking

Context: Attentive (2)

A young female is engaged in the idiosyncratic "feel-good" behaviour, Stand-Over-Bush. She appears to get a mild fright from something, steps off her bush, turns around, Head-Shakes, and climbs back on her bush again. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Head-Shaking

Context: Attentive (3)

A family of elephants are around a mud wallow. A 4 year old female who has already mud splashed seems to be considering the scene and Head-Shakes. In what appears to be an act of Contagion, the 18 month old behind her follows immediately with a second Head-Shake. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Head-Raising

Context: Attentive (4)

A subsection of Big Mama's family is Body-Axis-Pointing and Waiting. They are trying to persuade their matriarch, Big Mama, to go in this direction (to the right), but she is oriented in the opposite direction. It is mid day and it is hot. An adolescent female in the group is feeling fed-up and expresses her feelings by Head-Shaking vigorously. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Head-Shaking

Context: Attentive (5)

A family of elephants is walking down a slope toward the lugga. A young family male has to stop to urinate and defecate. As he defecates we can see that it is a bit watery. He seems concerned as he reaches back with his Trunk-Toward as if to check how it is. Meanwhile, his friends leave him behind while others continue on past him. He expresses his feelings about the situation by Head-Shaking and then joins the crowd down the hill. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Head-Shaking

Context: Attentive (6)

We think (can't really see) infant of f0254 might have been trying to suckle from his brother - a 6 year old male. He walks around to the other side and the male walks away from him. He shakes his head and runs after him. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Head-Shaking

Context: Attentive (7)

An 18 month old calf is with her mother, Ozora, who is in estrus. Ozora has been Chased and followed by males all morning and has been hanging around Waiting for Liaqat to Guard her. The calf is fed-up. A medium sized male approaches Ozora again and she begins to walk away. The calf demonstrates her annoyance with a Head-Shake. (Amboseli, Kenya)

Head-Shaking

Context: Conflict & Confrontation (1)

Matriarch gf0073 has just Charged us and almost hit the car. As this clip starts gf0073 is moving back toward the rest of the family who have retreated to the forest. She is taking up the Rear-Guard while Standing-Tall and Curling-Trunk-Under. She turns to face us and Head-Shakes. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Head-Shaking

Context: Conflict & Confrontation (2)

After a Group-Advance Corojosa, gf0054, is concerned again. She stands with Ears-Stiff and a J-Trunk, Listening and Contemplating us. After much Contemplation Corajosa Head-Shakes and Advances-Toward us. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Head-Shaking

Context: Conflict & Confrontation (3)

We arrive at the pan and find Aloisio, gm0040, and adult female matriarch gf0070 and her family. We can hear the Bathawk flying nearby and the elephants are acting vigilant and begin to coalesce around gf0070. A young male Head-Shakes and seems to be annoyed at being disturbed on a pleasant afternoon. A young female moves toward the matriarch from the other direction and Touch-Self. The matriarch and young female are Standing-Tall in apprehensive posture. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Head-Shaking

Context: Conflict & Confrontation (4)

An adult male is suffering from a big swollen wound (likely caused by a spear). He Head-Shakes at the filmmakers. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Head-Shaking

Context: Conflict & Confrontation (5)

Latino is walking toward the car and she Shake-Heads and Snorts. We are guessing that she must have detected someone outside the vehicle. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Head-Shaking

Context: Conflict & Confrontation (6)

Rui is Listening and then begins a Musth-Walk while J-Sniffing. The filmmaker starts car and Rui stops, Standing-Tall. Then he makes a kind of “3-Point-Turn” and Head-Shakes. Then he Stands-Tall again. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Head-Shaking

Context: Conflict & Confrontation (7)

As we drive up gm0015 Head-Shakes at us. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Head-Raising

Context: Calf Reassurance & Protection (1)

Two juvenile males are Sparring. One is bigger than the other. An adolescent female intervenes Orienting-Toward them and Head-Shaking and then Looks-At the older male while Trunk-Sucking. She Advances-Toward the older male and he Backs-Away. It is as if she decides that they are being too rough - or perhaps the older male is not part of the family and she is protecting a sibling - or perhaps she wants to join the play. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Head-Shaking

Context: Calf Reassurance & Protection (2)

Little E is one month old. Immediately prior to this scene, Little E rushed past his mother and allomothers to touch the car. The two aunties freak out and give a series of Trumpet-Blasts. Little E is alarmed - caught between his noisy aunties and the car. His mother, Mama Little E, rushes over to join the allomothers and, as this clip start she manages to retrieve him. As the clip starts his mother, Mama Little E, is using her trunk to Shepherd him back to safety. They rumble and form a Defensive-Circle around Little E with Mama Little E and V-Notch on either side and Lorato Sashaying in to fill in the gap between Little E and the vehicle. They continue to Back-Away and then when little E tries to suckle his mother uses her trunk to purposefully lead his mouth to her breast (Trunk-to-Infant-at-Breast). Lorato Head-Shake and continue to Back-Toward the others. All get fresh Temporin. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Head-Shaking

Context: Calf Reassurance & Protection (3)

Mama Little E is feeding and then hears something or becomes aware of something that concerns her. She Head-Shakes and then turns and walks away with Little E. Allomother Lorato was alerted by whatever it was and she walks toward Mama Little E and Little E with Ears-Tense. She stops and Stands-Tall, Ear-Spreading and Head-Swinging as if trying to detect what the problem was, then she Back-Toward mother and Little E to help protect him and Head-Shakes as she reaches them. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Head-Shaking

Context: Calf Reassurance & Protection (4)

Little E is 8 days old and allomother, Lorato, is taking seriously her job of looking after him. She comes out of the bushes where her family is resting, finds the filmmakers and then threatens them by Advancing-Toward them and displaying a Head-Dip-Touch-Ground and Head-Shaking, then she Back-Toward Mama Little E who is resting under the tree with her infant. As she does so she Touch-Self expressing her ambivalence. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Head-Shaking

Context: Social Play (1)

Adult males gm0016 and gm0049 have been Sparring. Male gm0016 is larger and appears to have “won” the match. He reaches his Trunk-to-Genitals to gm0049, who Head-Shakes, then gm0016 Grasp-Tail of gm0049. This clip is filmed from a distance and some of the behaviors are hard to discern. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Head-Shaking

Context: Social Play (2)

A six year old female has been playing with a < 2 year old calf. The older female has been engaged in Tusk-Ground and Head-Shakes as she gets back to her feet. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Head-Shaking

Context: Social Play (3)

Two calves under the age of two are standing side by side feeding on grass on a termite mound. They have been engaged in playful interactions Head-Waggling and touching one another. One Head-Shakes. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Head-Shaking

Context: Affiliative (1)

A family group of elephants led by matriarch, Gina, is at salt lick. There is some competition for the best spots and Gina has just Advanced-Toward a young male who Retreats-From. In this clip Gina has moved some distance away and the young male has returned to the salt lick and is standing eating minerals in the left foreground with a young female out of view next to him.

Another young female walks up behind him coming from the right and the female standing next to him turns to acknowledge/greet her with a Head-Shake before walking away. The approaching female reaches out to the male touching his genitals (Trunk-to-Genitals). The young male appears to think he may be threatened and he Retreats-From. When he turns to see who it was and realizes it was not Gina, he Advances-Toward her and she Retreats-From. He goes back to eating minerals. It is not completely clear whether the Head-Shaking was in greeting or in annoyance that the approaching female disturbed her accessing of minerals, but the posture of both female appears friendly. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Head-Shaking

Context: Affiliative (2)

(There is no audio due to terrible wind noise.) As the clip starts we see Lorato standing with Mama Little E and Little E. She is Head-Raising and Ear-Lifting as if she is in communication with someone. Then she Head-Shakes and turns to face the other way as if in anticipation.

The camera pans right and we see the matriarch, Grumpy Grandma, walking towards the little group. When she is about 5 meters away Lorato is seen Head-Shaking again. Grumpy Grandma pauses to eat something and Lorato and Mama Little E Back-Toward her, while still Ear-Lifting. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Head-Shaking

Context: Affiliative (3)

An adult female stands Waiting for a male who is approaching her. He arrives and reaches his Trunk-to-Genitals as if to sniff her, but instead appears to do a mix between a Social-Rub and a Push. The female Head-Shakes and dust flies. They both move on. It is hard to say exactly what went on between these two individuals though the interaction appears friendly. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Head-Shaking

Context: Aggressive (1)

A 4 year old female calf comes up from lugga, looking as if lost (note: I hear Lost-Calls and see her tensed ears and pinched face). A juvenile male sees/hears her and Head-Shakes. He Advance-Toward her (little bully) and tests her (Trunk-to-Genitals) and then lightly Tusks her. He and she go their separate ways. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Head-Shaking

Context: Aggressive (2)

This is an excerpt from an Escalated Contest between two males that lasted close to three hours. At this stage they have already engaged in 3 bouts of Dueling. During this particular clip the aggressor - the male on the right Advances-Toward the male on the left and there is a stand-off, neither one willing to fully take on the other. The broken tusked male is the more aggressive, but the male on the left looks slightly larger and when he takes two steps toward the broken-tusked male, he Backs-Away and Head-Shakes. (Amboseli, Kenya)

Head-Shaking

Context: Submissive (1)

A young male approaches large adult female, gf0061, who is drinking. He walks very purposefully toward her while she waits. She Orients-away and he tests her Trunk-to-Genitals. As he tests her she Tail-Swats him and Head-Shakes vigorously. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Head-Shaking

Context: Advertisement & Attraction (1)

Liaqat in musth is Guarding Ozara who is in estrus. She has been Rumbling, likely to her family, and has been giving signals that she wants to move. Liaqat is standing Contemplating and then decides to follow her. He gives a Head-Shake, perhaps at the other males around him, perhaps part of his display, or perhaps he is annoyed that Ozara wants to move on. (Amboseli, Kenya)

Head-Shaking

Context: Protest & Distress (1)

An adult female who has been throwing her weight around Walks-Toward an adult male and Social-Rubs demonstrably against his rump. He looks surprised and then Head-Shakes as if annoyed. (Amboseli, Kenya)