The practices and behaviors employed by the black-capped chickadee displayed selective strategies towards the active foraging of food in the months prior to winter. The chickadees would collect food at a high rate, hide them, and subsequently return for additional food. The analysis demonstrated that chickadees show very little or no preference for the height of their food source, yet the specific type of seed played a major role in their foraging behaviors. The chickadees would actively scan each seed type, and in most cases select for the black oil sunflower seed. This high nutrient food source was collected in such high volumes that the feeders needed to be replenished constantly. Lastly, the chickadees also demonstrated a selective nature for the quality of the seeds, based on various applicable criteria.
[...] The r2 and slope further support this relation, and therefore suggests that the height of the chickadees food source has no apparent implications on its foraging strategies. Table 3. ANOVA analysis for the preference of chickadees with differential seed types Table 4. Regression analysis of the height of the food source and the corresponding abundance of chickadees landing F Height null Discussion: The data collected suggests various ecological implications in terms of the calculated results. The seed height experimentation did not yield any direct trends, as the chickadees did not exhibit any sort of significant preference for height (Figure 2). [...]
[...] With the prominence of food availability, and the lack of “sensitive” predators, the chickadees may not necessarily require any height specific strategies to resist predation. These sensitive predators may simply avoid the human presence altogether, creating a sanctuary for the less sensitive residents of the environment. With these relatively low-threat lifestyles, the chickadee still demonstrated a unique strategy in terms of their selective attributes. When presented with a varied range of seed types, the chickadees would show a selective preference for the small or “black-oil sunflower” seed. [...]
[...] This observed phenomenon may be a suitable point of analysis for further research. Overall, the chickadees displayed a very unique foraging strategy, and did indeed show selective behaviors for some aspects of the investigation. The height of the food source did not reveal any apparent trends, although this may be a result of human influence. However, the chickadees did show a significant preference for black oil sunflower seeds. By incorporating the quality, and overall energy efficiency of this food source, the chickadee has [...]
[...] The data collected for the preferences in seed types relies on the numerical quantity of seeds taken and the nominal seed types (Table 1). Table 1. Data sheet utilized for the collection of seed type preferences. Trial Number Seed Type Quantity Taken Location Along Board Each available seed type analyzed was consistent in all trials, forming a parametric relationship among the variables. In order to analyze the seed types for their statistical significance, an ANOVA test was employed. The test was utilized to determine if there was a significant preference in one type of seed over the others. [...]
[...] Results: The seed type data was collected as a determinant of preferences among various food sources. During the analysis, it was noted that in most cases, the seeds were not consumed by the birds, but rather hidden as the same individuals would return for additional food. The data was compared statistically with the use of an ANOVA analysis. This revealed a significant difference between the preferences for each seed type. With a confidence interval of 95% certainty, it was determined that the chickadees preferred the small sunflower seeds overall other varieties, and therefore a rejection of the null hypothesis. [...]
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