Re: cooperative hunting on the wing

[FEUKAC@PLU.edu]

On Thu, 16 Feb 1995, Jonathan D Marcot wrote:

> I think we may be getting a little off the point. These are all great 
> examples (and there are many others), but these are all examples of 
> cooperative pestering and not hunting. It appears that for birds, when a 
> threat is present, there is safety in numbers. But we haven't said 
> anything about cooperative hunting. So far I can only remember the 
> Harris' Hawk as the only example of that. If the point was to show 
> evidence of cooperation, you need to look no further than a school of fish.
>       I was wondering if anyone knows of the predatory habits of large 
> flightless birds.

 Wouldn't 'safety in numbers' be one of the first steps towards 
cooperative hunting. You realize that you are stronger in groups and 
then this could then change from 'pestering' to hunting and then taking down 
bigger prey that would not be possible by one.This could be done by a 
member 'pestering' or distracting the prey and then in the confusion
another attacking for the kill. What I mean is 'safety in numbers' could 
be the starting of pack behavior or cooperative hunting. Comments???

Aaron Feuk
Preparator,Dept. of Earth Sciences
Pacific Lutheran University
Tacoma,Wash. 98447
> 
> jonathan marcot
> 
>