Science and Game Theory

I was logging on to my gmail account the other day and an article popped up on my igoogle homepage titled, "Bizarre Bird Behavior." As I read the article started to explain how scientists used Game Theory to predict the hunting or eating habits of a specific group of Ravens on a roost the North of Wales. Feeding behavior for most ravens is scavenging on already dead large animals that are found individually, then guarded by  two "paired" adults. In general the younger ravens search individually for carcasses that have already been found my the adults and then gather other younger raven to move in on the adults, therefore taking over there prey. In contrast the young ravens on a roost in Northern Wales have adopted another strategy for capturing prey. The younger ravens on Northern wales have been adopting the strategy of a "gang." After observing this bizarre pattern the young ravens behavior only in Angelsey, Wales, scientists began to develop a mathematical theory that could predict what strategy would be chosen by evolution. The first strategy was thrown out and by game theory we were left with 2 options for our game. So for our example we have 2 players. the birds that search individually and then recruit, and the birds that search for a food with a "gang." Both players move simultaneously, however there are outside circumstances that come into effect, the region that these ravens are in is a temperate forest with lots of farm land around, so food was abundant. In this scenario, the experiment showed that gang searching should happen when searching individually is no more efficient than multiple ravens searching for prey. This scenario will happen when a gang of ravens can cover an area of prey in about a day. In the article they talked about how they can use these gang motives to there social benefit when they do not have the worry about food. They used the model to show that when food is abundant, the ravens used the gang choice instead of searching individually and then recruiting. When food is abundant the ravens have more time for other things giving them the upper hand in social interaction, first choice to mates and prey along with other aspects of survival.

Still trying to upload diagram. Please be patient.