THE EFFECT OF COMPETITION ON CHOICE BY PIGEONS - FORAGING RATE, RESOURCE AVAILABILITY AND LEARNING

The effect of competition on food choice by pigeons was examined in a within-subject laboratory study. Pigeons foraged on maize (the more pr eferred item) and wheat (the less preferred item) in two conditions: a lone and with a competitor. Over the course of the experiment an effec t of competition on individual choice developed: the pigeons came to c hoose less maize before the first grain of wheat was taken, and to sho w a higher proportion of choices of wheat. The effect of competition w as entirely due to resource availability: no effect of the competitor per se was found once the number of grains of maize and wheat availabl e for any one choice was taken into account. Choice behaviour changed over time because the birds learned to forage faster in competition, w hich in turn led to faster depletion rates.