Common ravens, Corvus corax, preferentially associate with grey wolves, Canis lupus, as a foraging strategy in winter

摘要: One foraging strategy that scavengers can employ to discover unpredictable food sources is associate directly with predators who inadvertently provide food. The common raven, a well known feeding generalist, also prominent scavenger of wolves' kills and found be in close association this predator. We tested the hypothesis ravens preferentially wolves winter as kleptoparasitic strategy. presence, absence behaviour was documented during observations wolves, coyotes, Canis latrans, elk, Cervus elaphus, landscape these three species. Ravens were when they travelling, resting hunting prey. In comparison, showed no significant elk or areas on wolves. compared ravens' discovery success wolf-killed nonwolf-killed carcasses their behavioural response upon discovery. all wolf almost immediately remained at carcass feed alongside after death contrast, less successful discovering experimentally placed same study region, did not land despite availability fresh, exposed meat. Our results show just an incidental proximate by-product presence fresh Instead, we both food, resulting suppression innate fear novel sources. Through mode social foraging, may experience increased efficiency use otherwise spatially temporally source.Copyright 2002 Association for Study Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved .