Nest excavation does not reduce harmful effects of ectoparasitism: an experiment with a woodpecker, the northern flicker Colaptes auratus
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Published source details
Wiebe K.L. (2009) Nest excavation does not reduce harmful effects of ectoparasitism: an experiment with a woodpecker, the northern flicker Colaptes auratus. Journal of Avian Biology (formerly Ornis Scandinavica 1970-1993), 40, 166-172.
Published source details Wiebe K.L. (2009) Nest excavation does not reduce harmful effects of ectoparasitism: an experiment with a woodpecker, the northern flicker Colaptes auratus. Journal of Avian Biology (formerly Ornis Scandinavica 1970-1993), 40, 166-172.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Remove ectoparasites from nests to increase survival or reproductive success Action Link |
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Remove ectoparasites from nests to increase survival or reproductive success
A randomised, replicated and controlled study in 2006-7 in a mixed grassland-wetland-forest ecosystem in British Columbia, Canada (Wiebe 2009) found that northern flicker Colaptes auratus nests that were fumigated (with diatomaceous earth and 0.5% pyrethrin) had fewer ectoparasitic flies Carnus hemapterus than control nests (fewer than five parasites/nestling for 33 fumigated nests vs. 10-17 parasites/nestling for 44 control nests). Chicks from control nests also fledged at lower weights than those from fumigated nests (129-132 g for females and 133-136 g for males in fumigated nests vs. 124-126 g for females and approximately 129 g for males in control nests). These relationships held for both new and reused nests.
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