Native parasitic nest fly impacts reproductive success of an island‐endemic host

Hayes, Christine D.; Hayes, Thomas I.; McClure, Christopher J. W.; Quiroga, Martín Anibal; Thorstrom, Russell; Anderson, David L.

doi:10.1111/acv.12449

Cited by 24 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…For example, questions remain over the degree to which each species is a host specialist or generalist (Löwenberg-Neto 2008), what natural enemies impact Philornis (Knutie et al . 2017), and how anthropogenic activities like landscape change influence Philornis -host dynamics (Hayes et al . 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Life-stage and sex influencePhilornisectoparasitism in a Neotropical woodpecker (Melanerpes striatus) with essential male parental care

LaPergola

2021

Preprint

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The nestlings of many Neotropical bird species suffer from Philornis (Diptera: Muscidae) ectoparasitism. While nestlings are typically considered the intended targets, recent work indicates that Philornis infest adult birds more frequently than previously appreciated, yet few studies have concurrently surveyed nestlings and adults for Philornis in the same population. Over six field seasons (2012 to 2017), I documented the presence of current or recent subcutaneous Philornis infestations on adult and nestling Hispaniolan Woodpeckers (Melanerpes striatus) from the same population. I tested the following three non-mutually exclusive hypotheses regarding occurrence of Philornis on adult birds: (1) nestlings are more vulnerable to Philornis parasitism than adults, (2) nesting is associated with Philornis parasitism in adults, and (3) Philornis parasitism is associated with incubation and brooding investment. While nestling and adult woodpeckers exhibited similar prevalence of parasitism, parasitized nestlings hosted on average 3.5 times more Philornis wounds (larvae plus scars) than parasitized adults. Nesting per se was not significantly associated with parasitism among adults, as breeding and non-breeding adults showed similar prevalence and intensity. However, adult males, which perform overnight incubation and brooding, were significantly more likely to be parasitized than adult females. This last result supports the hypothesis that incubation and brooding investment increase the risk of Philornis parasitism for adults, but this conclusion is complicated by the lack of an association between parasitism and nesting status. Together, these results raise questions about the degree of host life-stage specialization and whether adult parasitism is incidental or part of an alternative parasitic strategy for Philornis.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…comm.). Furthermore, the parasite negatively impacts the reproductive success of at least one other Hispaniolan endemic, the critically endangered Ridgway’s Hawk ( Buteo ridgwayi ; Hayes et al . 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Life-stage and sex influencePhilornisectoparasitism in a Neotropical woodpecker (Melanerpes striatus) with essential male parental care

LaPergola

2021

Preprint

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“…For some threatened bird species, the management of parasites is an essential component of recovery plans because of their impact on reproductive success ( Bulgarella et al , 2019 ). For example, in the Dominican Republic, nest parasitism by the fly Philornis pici is a contributing factor to the decline of the critically endangered Ridgway’s hawk ( Buteo ridgwayi ; BirdLife International, 2018 ; Hayes et al ., 2019 ). Fledgling numbers of Ridgway’s hawk have increased following applications of the insecticide permethrin to nests and the consequent reduction of P. pici larvae (M. Quiroga, pers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sub-lethal effects of permethrin exposure on a passerine: implications for managing ectoparasites in wild bird nests

Bulgarella

Knutie

Voss

et al. 2020

Conservation Physiology

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Permethrin is increasingly used for parasite control in bird nests, including nests of threatened passerines. We present the first formal evaluation of the effects of continued permethrin exposure on the reproductive success and liver function of a passerine, the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), for two generations. We experimentally treated all nest material with a 1% permethrin solution or a water control and provided the material to breeding finches for nest building. The success of two consecutive clutches produced by the parental generation and one clutch produced by first-generation birds were tracked. Finches in the first generation were able to reproduce and fledge offspring after permethrin exposure, ruling out infertility. Permethrin treatment had no statistically significant effect on the number of eggs laid, number of days from clutch initiation to hatching, egg hatch rate, fledgling mass or nestling sex ratio in either generation. However, treating nest material with permethrin significantly increased the number of hatchlings in the first generation and decreased fledgling success in the second generation. Body mass for hatchlings exposed to permethrin was lower than for control hatchlings in both generations, but only statistically significant for the second generation. For both generations, an interaction between permethrin treatment and age significantly affected nestling growth. Permethrin treatment had no effect on liver function for any generation. Permethrin was detected inside 6 of 21 exposed, non-embryonated eggs (28.5% incidence; range: 693–4781 ng of permethrin per gram of dry egg mass). Overall, results from exposing adults, eggs and nestlings across generations to permethrin-treated nest material suggest negative effects on finch breeding success, but not on liver function. For threatened bird conservation, the judicious application of this insecticide to control parasites in nests can result in lower nestling mortality compared to when no treatment is applied. Thus, permethrin treatment benefits may outweigh its sub-lethal effects.

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“…Native Philornis spp. are also reported to have a major impact on the breeding success of several Neotropical bird species with small populations (Bulgarella, Quiroga, & Heimpel, 2019;Hayes et al, 2019). Given the impact parasites can have on small populations, there is a growing interest in the role of parasites and pathogens in conservation (Loye & Carroll, 1995;Smith, Acevedo-Whitehouse, & Pedersen, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘Self‐fumigation’ of nests by an endangered avian host using insecticide‐treated feathers increases reproductive success more than tenfold

Alves

Langmore

Heinsohn

et al. 2020

Animal Conservation

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Parasites can cause great fitness cost to their hosts, however, their impact on host populations is often unknown. In healthy populations, parasites are not expected to cause declines, but they can be devastating to small and/or declining populations. Nest ectoparasites can have detrimental impacts on the breeding output of their hosts and are emerging as a threat to several endangered bird species. Therefore, finding cost-effect ways to reduce the impact of parasites on endangered hosts is crucial. Although 'close-order' management techniques available to manage nest parasites are effective, they are often expensive and might not be suitable for species that are intolerant of intensive manipulation. We tested a low cost, 'closeorder' management technique to control parasites and boost nest productivity in an endangered passerine. The endangered forty-spotted pardalote Pardalotus quadragintus is exploited by an ectoparasitic fly Passeromyia longicornis, an obligate subcutaneous parasite of nestling birds. We offered adult pardalotes the opportunity to 'self-fumigate' their nests by supplying feathers treated with insecticide with which to line their nests and tested whether this boosted nest productivity. Pardalotes readily incorporated the experimental feathers in nest building, and survival of hatchlings was significantly higher in nests lined with treated feathers (95%) compared to nests lined with control feathers (8%). This represents a substantially greater improvement in reproductive success than in previous experimental studies, offering the strongest evidence yet that self-fumigation is a highly effective, simple and low cost 'close-order' management technique for defending endangered birds against ectoparasites.

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Native parasitic nest fly impacts reproductive success of an island‐endemic host

Cited by 24 publications

References 41 publications

Life-stage and sex influencePhilornisectoparasitism in a Neotropical woodpecker (Melanerpes striatus) with essential male parental care

Life-stage and sex influencePhilornisectoparasitism in a Neotropical woodpecker (Melanerpes striatus) with essential male parental care

Sub-lethal effects of permethrin exposure on a passerine: implications for managing ectoparasites in wild bird nests

‘Self‐fumigation’ of nests by an endangered avian host using insecticide‐treated feathers increases reproductive success more than tenfold

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