The effect of competition on choice by pigeons: foraging rate, resource availability and learning

Abstract

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