The influence of apparent predation risk on the foraging behaviour of eastern chipmunks (Tamias striatus)

The hypothesis that foraging behaviour is affected by the presence of a predator was tested in the field by presenting a stuffed marten (Martes americanus) to foraging eastern chipmunks (Tamias striatus). With a stuffed predator present, chipmunks approached the seed source more slowly. The closer the marten was to the seed tray, the smaller the loads collected by the chipmunks and the fewer the seeds consumed at the tray.