ABSTRACT
In environments characterized by an unpredictable and patchy distribution of foods, social birds or mammals that forage from a central site (e.g., a burrow, roost, or nesting site) can benefit from exchange of information with conspecifics about the availability and distribution of foods (Bertram, 1978; DeGroot, 1980; Erwin, 1977; Waltz, 1982; Ward & Zahavi, 1973). Relatively unsuccessful foragers able to extract relevant information from their more successful fellows could learn both the identity of foods successful foragers are exploiting and the locations of those foods. Such socially-acquired information could enhance the foraging efficiency of relatively unsuccessful individuals.
