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Social foraging strategies and acquisition of novel foraging skills in cooperatively breeding Arabian babblers

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  • Oded Keynan
  • Amanda R. Ridley
  • Arnon Lotem

Abstract

Social foraging strategies and their association with learning and innovation abilities have been studied extensively in flocking birds, but their importance for cooperatively breeding birds has remained relatively unexplored. The high degree of sociality typical of cooperative societies may indicate an important role of social foraging for learning and innovation. We studied 1) social foraging strategies and 2) the acquisition of a novel foraging skill in 16 groups of wild, cooperatively breeding Arabian babblers (Turdoides squamiceps). In Experiment 1, we provided a foraging grid of 96 feeding wells to each group, allowing them either to search for food individually (producer) or to join other birds (scrounger). Subordinates scrounged significantly more than dominant individuals, spent longer on the foraging grid, and had a higher proportion of their foraging steps rewarded (due to the effect of successful scrounging). However, scrounging was not related to poor learning ability because almost all the individuals that learned the novel foraging skill in Experiment 2 (removing a rubber lid to reach food) were scroungers. These findings suggest that group members differ in their foraging strategies and learning abilities according to their rank and that subordinate group members may be more opportunistic and flexible in their behavior than dominants, making use of both scrounging and novel foraging opportunities.

Suggested Citation

  • Oded Keynan & Amanda R. Ridley & Arnon Lotem, 2015. "Social foraging strategies and acquisition of novel foraging skills in cooperatively breeding Arabian babblers," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 26(1), pages 207-214.
  • Handle: RePEc:oup:beheco:v:26:y:2015:i:1:p:207-214.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/beheco/aru181
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Tomer Ilan & Edith Katsnelson & Uzi Motro & Marcus W. Feldman & Arnon Lotem, 2013. "The role of beginner’s luck in learning to prefer risky patches by socially foraging house sparrows," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 24(6), pages 1398-1406.
    2. Kimberley J. Mathot & Luc-Alain Giraldeau, 2010. "Within-group relatedness can lead to higher levels of exploitation: a model and empirical test," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 21(4), pages 843-850.
    3. Julie Morand-Ferron & Ella F. Cole & James E.C. Rawles & John L. Quinn, 2011. "Who are the innovators? A field experiment with 2 passerine species," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 22(6), pages 1241-1248.
    4. Martha J. Nelson-Flower & Phil A.R. Hockey & Colleen O'Ryan & Nichola J. Raihani & Morné A. du Plessis & Amanda R. Ridley, 2011. "Monogamous dominant pairs monopolize reproduction in the cooperatively breeding pied babbler," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 22(3), pages 559-565.
    5. Amanda R. Ridley & Nichola J. Raihani, 2007. "Variable postfledging care in a cooperative bird: causes and consequences," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 18(6), pages 994-1000.
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    Cited by:

    1. Muhammad Nawaz Rajpar & Shahab Ali Khan & Allah Ditta & Hayssam M. Ali & Sami Ullah & Muhammad Ibrahim & Altaf Hussain Rajpar & Mohamed Zakaria & Mohamed Z. M. Salem, 2021. "Subtropical Broad-Leaved Urban Forests as the Foremost Dynamic and Complex Habitats for a Wide Range of Bird Species," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-20, November.

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