Logical Reasoning

PT150 · S3 · Q2 The Common Loon is a migratory bird

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The Common Loon is a migratory bird that winters in warmer regions and returns to its breeding lakes in the spring.

Given that ...

There are perfectly suitable lakes nearby that are vacant.

Why is it that ...

More than half the time, loons choose to oust the current occupants of a lake rather than just take over a new one?

Evaluate

When two loons return from their winter hideaway and are feeling the itch to breed, they have to claim a vacant lake for themselves or chase away the current occupants of a lake.

One would think it's easier to claim a vacant lake than to chase away the current occupants of a lake.

Goal

So if there are perfectly suitable, vacant lakes nearby, why are loons taking the "harder" route and trying to chase away current occupants of lakes?

Is there something especially enticing about those lakes (even though others are "suitable", are the other ones worse somehow)?

Do the loons not realize there are perfectly suitable vacant lakes nearby?

Does the conflict of chasing away the previous couple turn these two loons on and get them in the mood to breed? (I'm sure it's not that, but that's a funny correct answer)

Which one of the following, if true, most helps to explain the surprising behavior described above?

Most of the nearby vacant
Deepens Paradox
This answer makes the vacant lakes seem super suitable. The more suitable they seem, the more confused we are about why more loons aren't just claiming these vacant ones instead of fighting with the current occupants of some other lake.
1% picked this
Contests for occupied breeding territory
No Impact
This is just talking about how the fight for a given lake takes place. We want to know why it's taking place at all, given that there is a zero-conflict option nearby that's perfectly suitable.
1% picked this
Loons that intrude on an
No Impact
This is just talking about how successful loons are when they fight the current occupants for primacy over a given lake. We don't care how the fights turn out. We want to know why they're taking place at all, given that there is a zero-conflict option nearby that's perfectly suitable.
2% picked this
Correct
Loons frequently determine that a
Why this is right
This helps to explain why more loons aren't choosing to just inhabit nearby lakes that are vacant and suitable: the loons don't realize that those vacant lakes are suitable Their cue for whether a lake is suitable is, "Do I see any loons there?" If so, then they surmise that the lake is suitable to breeding loons and then the fight is on for control of that lake! If they don't see any loons (i.e. if they see a vacant lake), they often can't determine whether or not it's suitable for breeding loons, so they don't settle there.
Skill tested: Paradox · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.
96% picked this
Lakes that are perfectly suitable
Deepens Paradox
This answer makes the vacant, suitable lakes seem like great places to breed and child-rear. And the more awesome these suitable, vacant lakes seem, the more confused we are about why loons aren't just claiming these vacant ones instead of fighting with the current occupants of some other lake.
1% picked this

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