Search
Presentation Details
| Effects of foraging success on social network centrality in bobwhite quail |
| Sanjay Prasher, Elizabeth A. Hobson. University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States |
An animal’s social network centrality has been linked to its access to information or resources from others. Yet, the inverse effect of providing benefits to others on one’s centrality is understudied. We studied effects of foraging success, and the ensuant food access provided to others, on a bird’s strength in a foraging network in three captive groups of bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus). Using an automated feeder, we selectively fed birds in a three-phase experiment: 1. the feeder was programmed to release food for any bird, 2. feeder released food only for the focal bird (a low-centrality bird from phase one), and 3. feeder released food for any bird. Individual RFID detection data from the feeder were used to build ‘following-to-feeder’ networks. Temporal permutations of follows showed the focal bird’s strength was significantly lower than expected by chance in phase one. Strength was significantly higher than chance in phase two for two of the three tested groups. Our results show the possibility of quail adjusting their following behavior based on the foraging success of group members; future analyses will examine if birds altered other interactions with the focal quail. |