Lethal and sub-lethal effects of botfly parasitism on House Wren's chicks.

QUIROGA, M.; REBOREDA, J.C.

THE CONDOR

COOPER ORNITHOLOGICAL SOC

Año: 2012 vol. 114 p. 197 - 202

0010-5422

We studied the impact of botfly (Philornis seguyi) parasitism on survival and growth of House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) nestlings. We investigated whether nestling survival was related to: (1) the intensity of botfly infestation, (2) age of the nestling at the time it was parasitized, and (3) hatching order within broods. Prevalence of botfly parasitism was 25%, whereas mean intensity and age at parasitism were 12.8 larvae per nestling and 3.9 days, respectively. Nestling survival was 42% lower in infested than in non-infested broods. Nestling survival was negatively associated with mean intensity of parasitism of the brood and positively associated with age of the nestling at the time it was parasitized. Within infested broods, nestling survival was higher in chicks hatched first than chicks hatched last. Infested nestlings that survived until fledging had lower growth rates and longer nestling periods than nestlings in non-infested broods. Our results indicate that P. seguyi have lethal and sub-lethal effects on House Wren nestlings and that intensity of parasitism, age of nestlings at the time they are infested, and hatching order are important factors that influence the survival of parasitized nestlings.