BIOC54H3 Chapter Notes -Eurasian Oystercatcher, Optimal Foraging Theory, Northwestern Crow
Document Summary
Week 11: defense feeding ch6 p183-216, ch 7 p219- 232 & 235 238. Zach tested the drop by crows by erecting a 15m pole on a rocky beach. He adjusted the height, got whelks (another food source of crows) of different size (s, m, l) and dropped them all at various heights. Large whelks broke at lower heights, with fewer tries and the times dropped were independent of each other (always chances). The optimal theory here is that it would be a waste for a crow to find another whelk if the one it had wasn"t breaking because the chances are the same and it would require more time and energy. Also, the crow will always go for the large ones since it takes less energy to break and more reward when it does. In another study it was proven that the better foragers and ones who ate more large mussels/whelks had higher reproductive success.
