Crows feeding on whelks drop the whelks from the air until their shell breaks,allowing the crow to eat the mussel inside.What factor(s)is(are)important for crows optimizing this foraging strategy?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The number of drops needed to break the shell and the height per drop are both important factors for crows to optimize this foraging strategy. The crow needs to drop the whelk from a sufficient height to generate enough force to break the shell, but the number of drops needed should be minimized to conserve energy and reduce the risk of losing the mussel to other predators. Thus, the optimal strategy would involve finding a height and drop frequency that maximizes the chance of breaking the shell with as few drops as possible. The force of gravity in each drop and the height per drop are important aspects of this strategy, but they are not as important as the overall number of drops needed to break the shell.

Crows Feeding on Whelks Drop the Whelks from the Air