Pilot whales are among the most intelligent and affable of cetaceans, adapting well to captivity and being easily trained. The preferred diet is squid, up to 27 kg of which may be consumed daily. Other cephalopods and small fish are also eaten. Group size varies. Polygamy seems to be the rule in both species of Globicephala.
Adult males are often scarred, presumably from battles over control of a harem.
Fighting involves biting, butting with the large head, and slapping with the tail. Social organization seems to be highly developed in Globicephala, and this factor sometimes works to the disadvantage of the animals. Individuals harpooned by people usually rush forward in panic and can be driven toward the shore. The rest of the group seems to respond to the movements and cries of the wounded animals and to follow them into shallow water, where all may be easily killed. The same tendency may be associated with mass stranding, an especially common occurrence in Globicephala.