Testing two competing hypotheses for Eurasian jays’ caching for the future

Abstract Previous research reported that corvids preferentially cache food in a location where no will be available or more of specific this not available. Here, we consider possible explanations for these prospective caching behaviours and directly compare two competing hypotheses. The Compensatory Caching Hypothesis suggests birds learn to particular places was less frequently the past. In contrast, Future Planning recall ‘what–when–where’ features past events predict future availability food. We designed protocol which hypotheses different patterns across locations such can disambiguated. formalised Bayesian model comparison tested experiments with one previously species, namely Eurasian jays. Consistently experiments, observed pattern did support either hypothesis; rather it best explained by uniform distribution caches over locations. is needed gain insight into cognitive mechanism underpinning corvids’ future.