Poppy the Prairie Dog makes a special noise when she spots a hawk or eagle.

Research reveals that some prairie dog alarm calls encode remarkably specific information about humans and other predators.

"Prairie dogs have alarm calls for different species of predators," Slobodchikoff says. "We have identified different calls for humans, domestic dogs, red-tailed hawks, coyotes, cats, badgers, weasels ...

Prairie dogs start barking bloody murder and scramble for their burrows as a hawk glides fast and low over the colony. The emergency broadcast gives the rotund fur balls ample warning. For the raptor, ...