COMPARATIVE EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF HUNTING BEHAVIOR IN SMALL MAMMALS
Ethological analysis of hunting activity towards live insects has been conducted on rodents possessing different feeding specialization, in comparison with the insectivorous common shrew. Quantitative analysis was used, and Markov chains were constructed to generate schemes of stereotypes of hunting behavior in different species. The characteristic feature of hunting stereotypes in rodents is that they seize and hold a prey with their forepaws. This is the more evolutionary progressive feature that seizing the prey with teeth like shrew do. As schemes of stereotypes and tactics of hunting appeared to be similar in herbivorous narrow-headed voles and granivorous striped field mice, one can assume that these rodents possess specific adaptations to carnivorous life style. Among the studied rodent Campbell's dwarf hamster’s hunting stereotype characterized as the most progressive, hamsters tend to capture prey in the forelimbs, further effectively immobilizes the insect, quickly nibbling all his legs. Norway rats display the less specialized hunting stereotypes. The studied rodent species demonstrate more primitive hunting stereotypes than specialized hunting rodents; however, their hunting stereotype is rather specific, and this can be considered behavioral adaptation allowing rodents to broaden feeding resources by the use of active hunting towards insects.