In ungulates, the survival of offspring depends on the quality of the mother-young bond. During parturition, many wild ungulate species separate from the herd and find a naturally covered area to avoid predators and help facilitate the bond between dam and calf. Domesticated ungulates, such as Holstein dairy cows, are often provided protection from predation indoors, but indoor facilities provide little opportunity for cows to separate from the herd during parturition. Dairy cows are usually kept in group pens, or are moved from the group into an individual “maternity” pen to give birth. These pens are often in high-traffic areas and are dynamic in social structure – cows enter the pen before calving and are moved out after calving. Due to the high variation in management strategies at calving, there has been increased interest in understanding the cow’s perspective of her environment at calving, including her innate maternal behaviors. The objective of this presentation is to review the current literature on the maternal behavior of Holstein dairy cows kept indoors and outdoors at calving, with a main focus on maternal isolation behavior. Researchers have determined that cattle kept on range segregated from the herd and calved in covered areas including tall grass and trees. When indoor-housed cows were provided a choice between calving on pasture or a covered barn, their decision was dependent on parity; heifers calving for the first time were more likely to seek natural outdoor areas for seclusion whereas mature cows were more likely to calve indoors. When housed completely indoors, individually-housed cows maintained the motivation to calve in secluded areas if available. However, the motivation to hide in an indoor setting was hindered by social competition over the secluded space. Although data are limited, findings from this early research is promising; despite generations of domestication, dairy cows appear to have strong maternal instincts including the desire to separate from herdmates and seek seclusion at calving. This type of research is an example of how an understanding of natural behaviors can be useful in drawing inferences about the welfare of domesticated species.