Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Optimal foraging in great tits (Parus major)

Nature volume 268, pages 137–139 (1977)Cite this article

Abstract

OPTIMAL foraging theory1–5 is based on the supposition that animals have been designed, by natural selection, to behave in a way that will maximise their inclusive fitness and that in terms of foraging this goal may be approximated by maximising the net rate of energy intake while feeding1–4. Therefore, given the constraints of any particular situation it is possible to predict how an animal ought to behave while foraging. I have tested an optimal foraging model which predicts how a predator should exploit patchily distributed prey. The results are consistent with the predictions of the model.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. MacArthur, R. H. & Pianka, E. R. Am. Nat. 100, 603–609 (1966).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Emlen, J. M. Am. Nat. 100, 611–617 (1966).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Schoener, T. W. A. Rev. Ecol. Sys. 2, 369–404 (1971).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Charnov, E. L. thesis, Univ. Washington (1973).

  5. Pulliam, H. R. Am. Nat. 108, 59–74 (1974).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Taylor, L. R. Nature 189, 732–735 (1961).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Charnov, E. L. Theor. Popul. Biol. 9, 129–136 (1976).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Parker, G. A. & Stuart, R. A. Am. Nat. 110, 1055–1076 (1976).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Cook, R. M. & Hubbard, S. F. J. Anim. Ecol. 46, 115–125 (1977).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Charnov, E. L., Orians, G. H. & Hyatt, K. Am. Nat. 110, 247–259 (1976).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Dawkins, R. Behaviour 40, 162–173 (1971).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Aschoff, J. & Pohl, H. Fedn Proc. 29, 1541–1552 (1970).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Hart, J. S. & Berger, M. Proc. fifteenth int. Ornithol. Cong. 189–199 (Brill, Leiden, 1972).

    Google Scholar 

  14. King, J. R., in Avian Energetics (ed. Paynter, R. A.) (Nuttall Ornithological Club, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1974).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Krebs, J. R., Ryan, J. C. & Charnov, E. L. Anim. Behav. 22, 953–964 (1974).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Zach, R. & Falls, J. B. Can. J. Zool. 54, 1894–1903 (1976).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Animal Behaviour Research Group, Department of Zoology, South Parks Road, Oxford, UK

    RICHARD J. COWIE

Authors
  1. RICHARD J. COWIE
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

COWIE, R. Optimal foraging in great tits (Parus major). Nature 268, 137–139 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1038/268137a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/268137a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing