Ectoparasite affects choice and use of roost sites in the great tit, Parus major

Détails

ID Serval
serval:BIB_9F1E9F8F56C6
Type
Article: article d'un périodique ou d'un magazine.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Titre
Ectoparasite affects choice and use of roost sites in the great tit, Parus major
Périodique
Animal Behaviour
Auteur⸱e⸱s
Christe P., Oppliger Anne, Richner H.
ISSN
0003-3472
Statut éditorial
Publié
Date de publication
1994
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
47
Numéro
4
Pages
895-898
Langue
anglais
Résumé
Many diurnal bird species roost at night in holes. As a regular visitor of a hole they are therefore a welcome host for several species of ectoparasites. The interactions of ectoparasites with the behaviour, life-history traits and population demography of their hosts are largely unknown. In the present study the effects of the haematophagous hen flea, Ceratophyllus gallinae , on the great tit's choice of winter roost site were investigated experimentally. Three experiments tested (1) whether great tits prefer a clean nestbox to one containing an old, but parasite-free nest, (2) whether they prefer a parasite-free nestbox to one infested with the haematophagous hen flea, and (3) whether they prefer not to use a nestbox when there is only an infested box available in their territory. In the first experiment there was no discrimination and both kinds of boxes were used equally often. In the second experiment the great tits clearly preferred to roost in the box without ectoparasites. In the third experiment a significantly higher proportion of the infested nestboxes were not used for roosting compared with the parasite-free boxes. Recently the validity of the conclusions drawn from nestbox studies where the naturally occurring detrimental ectoparasites are eliminated by the routine removal of old nests between breeding seasons has been questioned. This study shows that ectoparasites affect host behaviour and therefore lends support to that criticism.
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Création de la notice
24/01/2008 19:14
Dernière modification de la notice
20/08/2019 15:05
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