Over the weekend I spent some time observing individuals of three different vertebrate species engaging in the same basic task: eating ripe Zinfandel grapes. The differences in approach among the three individuals were remarkable. I am therefore remarking on them.
Scrub jay (Aphelocoma californica), male: foraged in vines for ripe grapes still attached to bunch. Selected grape, tugged on it until it came loose from its pedicel and dropped to the ground. Jay then retrieved the grape and carried it in its bill to the top edge of the nearby garden bed timber, whereupon the bird bashed the grape against the wood with both rightward and leftward motions of its head until the fruit burst wide open. The jay pulled some of the inner pulp out of the fruit and swallowed it with an upward tilt of its head, as though drinking, and then bashed the fruit against the wood until another piece of pulp was dislodged. When it was finished eating, it left the empty skin behind. Ate only one grape and then departed in a hurry, perching in nearby walnut tree and issuing series of alert calls. There were no apparent discarded seeds.
Eastern fox squirrel (Sciurus niger), gender undetermined: Selected small bunch of grapes that had fallen to ground. Examined each grape in bunch for half a second or so, selected one and ate it entire, holding fruit in forepaws and eating with remarkable rapidity compared to observed behavior eating locally available wild food (primarily acorns and walnuts). Ate six grapes, finishing each completely before selecting the next fruit (examining entire small bunch each time.) After six grapes, walked away calmly as though sated rather than out of startlement.
Kat (Homo sapiens), female: foraged in vines, selecting one grape at a time from differing bunches. Brought grape to mouth with one forepaw. Consumed entire grape in one motion, rather than in many individual “bites” as with other two subjects. Emitted low-pitched but clearly audible short and monotonal humming sounds, apparently involuntary in nature, after placing each grape in mouth. Subject was not observed to expectorate or discard seeds: whether seeds were swallowed or reserved for later use, as some rodents do in in cheek pouches, is unknown. Unlike the jay and squirrel, this individual did not reach apparent satiety and stopped eating grapes only when removed from vicinity.
Used to watch birds eat grapes kind of like that at the flea market in Santa Cruz. They would rub them on the pavement of the drive-in theater to get the skins off.
If you value your grapes, I suggest erecting a scarekat. Something resembling Andrew Dice Clay usually works well for Homo Sap (female).
Great field work! I love the image of the squirrel inspecting the bunch of grapes each time.
When we were kids, we had a dog that would beg for grapes, but then when you’d give him one, he’d mouth it and let it roll out of his mouth. We put one in his mouth and helped him squish it between his teeth, and he figured out that he could do it himself.
Spyder, I have it on good authority that certain females of the species peel the grape before offering it to others. Sub-species Beulah, I believe.
No scat update, I’m sure. You forget that Chris considers us squeamish (see comments in the post about the carcass on the paddle). Having typed “carcass”, I must now lie down for a while. Oh dear.