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Re: SV: storing a food source



On Fri, Sep 18, 2009 at 09:20:54PM +0200, Tommy Tyrberg scripsit:
> Woodpeckers are non-passerines

ACK!  Right you are.  The neuron responsible will receive a stern
warning.

>, and owls also hoard food, so it does occur in non-passerines. 

I'd distinguish temporary caching of something being eaten as quickly as
digestively possibleâthe "I killed it, but I can't eat it all at once"
problemâfrom storing food the way acorn woodpeckers and
grey jays do.

> I however agree that it has almost certainly evolved independently
> several times among birds. It could easily evolve from the behaviour
> of many birds who carry food to their nestlings or incubating spouse
> (I can't think offhand of any bird which does not carry food to
> nestlings, but does cache food). Some birds, for example raptors,
> sometimes carry more food to the nest than the nestlings can consume
> immediately which comes pretty close to caching.

It's a lot better to go over than under with food delivery to nestlings. 

I suspect that the primary driver for true caching is a combination of
food durabilityâacorns are, and grey jays live where it's cold much of the
yearâand variation in food availability.

-- Graydon