Foraging, the search for food, is a fundamental part of behavior. All animals, from the simplest invertebrates to primates, have to take in food. Because appropriate food may be more abundant at some times and places than others, an animal that can learn about the characteristics of its food supply is likely to be able to forage more efficiently than one that cannot learn. Indeed, the need for efficient foraging creates a strong selection pressure for the evolution of learning and memory.

Since the late twentieth century, the study of foraging behavior has been guided by optimal foraging theory, a body of mathematical models specifying how animals should behave so as to maximize foraging efficiency. After briefly introducing this framework, this entry describes some of the ways in which animals use learning and memory in foraging.

Optimal Foraging Theory

Optimal foraging theory is a topic in behavioral ecology...