Effects of bird blowfly parasitism on eastern bluebird and tree swallow nestlings

Published source details Roby D.D., Brink K.L. & Wittmann K. (1992) Effects of bird blowfly parasitism on eastern bluebird and tree swallow nestlings. The Wilson Bulletin, 104, 630-643.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Remove ectoparasites from nests to increase survival or reproductive success Action Link

Remove ectoparasites from nests to increase survival or reproductive success

A replicated, controlled experiment during 1987-8 in New York State, USA (Roby et al. 1992) found that survival rates and fledging age of both eastern bluebird Sialis sialis and tree swallow Tachycineta bicolor chicks did not differ significantly between nests where blowflies Protocalliphora spp.were experimentally removed, control nests or nests with blowfly larvae added (bluebirds: 78% survival for removal nests, n = 25 vs. 87% for controls, n = 26; fledging age of 18 days for both treatments; tree swallows: 97% for removal nests, n = 29 vs. 90% for addition nests, n = 30 and 94% for controls, n = 32; fledging ages of 19.4, 19.7 and 19.8 days for removal, addition and control nests respectively). Bluebird nestlings were significantly heavier at 14 days old in removal nests, but the authors note that this was a small change (averages of 28.2 g in removal and 27.0 g in control nests).