Temporal Control of Activity in White Carneaux and Feral Pigeons

The time course of activity during the interval between food deliveries on fixed-time feeding schedules of 10, 20, 50, and 100 sec. was compared in White Carneaux and feral pigeons. The data were analyzed using a mathematical model of the temporal control of behavior recently proposed by Killeen (1975). This model represents the time course of general activity on fixed-time feeding schedules as the algebraic sum of two exponential functions. The over-all form and height of the activity functions for the White Carneaux and feral pigeons were similar and, with the exception of the results for the 100-sec. schedule, the model accounted for most of the variance in the data. Values of parameters for the model and average response rates varied systematically as a function of the duration of the interfood interval.