Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13157/arla.62.2.2015.363
Authors: Lucía M. IBÁÑEZ, Vanina D. FIORINI, Diego MONTALTI, Osvaldo DI IORIO and Paola TURIENZO
E-mail: luciaibanez@fcnym.unlp.edu.ar
Published: Volume 62.2, December 2015. Pages 363-372.
Language: English
Keywords: Argentina, botfly, ectoparasitism, nestling mortality and reproductive success
Summary:
We
studied the parasitism of the exotic European starling Sturnus vulgaris by native botflies Philornis spp. in Argentina. We installed thirty nest boxes in the northeastern
Buenos Aires province in the 2010-2011 breeding season. In the first brood,
subcutaneous larvae of Philornis (Muscidae)
parasitised 34 nestlings (89.4%) of 11 clutches (91.6%) and only three
nestlings fledged. In the second brood, Philornis
parasitised 15 (48.3%) nestlings of seven clutches (70%) and all the
nestlings died. Compared to the mortality of other
Neotropical birds parasitised by Philornis,
the mortality in European starling nests is the highest found in the region.
Our results show that the studied population of European starling suffers a
high level of parasitism by Philornis,
although this factor was not directly associated with the high mortality of
starling nestlings. The fact that most non-parasitised nestlings also died
indicates that other factors are also affecting nestling survival. Experiments
that allow us to isolate the effect of Philornis
from other variables would be needed to evaluate the impact of botfly larvae on starling
nestlings.
Supplementary Material:
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