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Changes in parental provisioning rates across the nestling period in response to ectoparasites in the North American barn swallow Hirundo rustica erythrogaster

Aberle, Matthew, "Changes in parental provisioning rates across the nestling period in response to ectoparasites in the North American barn swallow Hirundo rustica erythrogaster" (2014). Undergraduate Honors Theses. Paper 32. Changes in parental provisioning rates across the nestling period in response to ectoparasites in the North American barn swallow Hirundo rustica erythrogaster Altricial: Nestlings confined to the nest after hatching and completely dependent on parental care Brood: Group of young produced by a parent at one point in time. Clutch: Number of eggs laid by a female at one point in time. Cross-Fostering: Experimental technique where half of the young from two broods are switched between paired nests, in order to parse out the genetic and environmental influences on different traits. Ectoparasite: A parasite that lives on the exterior of its host; they are often haematophagous. Grooming: Common behavior by birds to remove ectoparasites from their feathers with their beak. Haematophagy: Act of feeding on the blood of another organism, common in parasites. Immunoglobulin: Another term for antibodies, which attach to foreign bodies in the bloodstream to signal the immune system to destroy it. Intensity: Number of parasites in or on an infected host. Nestling Period: Span of time in which nestlings occupy the nest before fledging. Nest Sanitation: Suite of behaviors done by parent birds to clean the nest, often involves removing nestling droppings and sometimes parasites. May help to decrease parasite infestation. Provisioning: Act of a parent providing food to its offspring. Sexual Signal Traits: Exaggerated physical male traits used by females in mate choice decisions. This process is known as sexual selection. Abstract: While parasites have long been documented, the large fitness cost to their hosts has only recently been addressed via studies of ecology and evolution. Large fitness costs apply to altricial nestlings confined to the nest and completely dependent on parental care. These costs are often passed on to their parents and can either be allayed or magnified through adjustments in parental behavior. My study employs manipulation of nest parasite loads and direct visual observation to assess how ectoparasitism (external parasites) by mites in nests of the North American barn swallow (Hirundo rustica erythrogaster) affects provisioning (feeding) behavior of parents. This study addresses the question of how provisioning rates are changing not only in response to ectoparasite intensity (number of parasites present), but also how parental responses differ across the nestling period (time nestlings occupy …