Individual differences in feeding efficiencies and feeding preferences of captive great tits

The preferences of eight, adult, hand-reared great tits for feeding on four different types of feeding sites have been tested. There were significant differences between individuals in these preferences, and the preferences for the different objects were correlated with the birds' individual feeding efficiencies on the objects. This correlation was thought to be a result of the birds' experience and learning during training for the experiment. During the tests the birds tended to make runs of visits to the same object type. This effect was more marked for less-preferred objects, and when the birds had just made a successful visit.