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Explosive increase in ectoparasites in Hawaiian forest birds.

Leonard A Freed1, Matthew C Medeiros, Gustav R Bodner

  • 1Department of Zoology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, USA. lfreed@hawaii.edu

The Journal of Parasitology
|June 26, 2008
PubMed
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An explosive increase in chewing lice (Phthiraptera) occurred in Hawaiian birds, linked to food limitation and potentially a new bird species. Infected birds showed signs of stress and lower recapture rates.

Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Parasitology
  • Ornithology

Background:

  • Chewing lice (Phthiraptera) are host-specific ectoparasites affecting bird populations.
  • Historically, chewing lice populations have not shown significant increases over years.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the cause of an unprecedented explosive increase in chewing lice prevalence in Hawaiian birds.
  • To determine the ecological factors and host characteristics influencing louse infestation.

Main Methods:

  • Long-term monitoring of bird populations and louse infestation from 1987-2005 on the island of Hawaii.
  • Assessing host condition (fat levels, feather quality) and environmental factors (humidity).
  • Correlating louse prevalence and intensity with host traits (bill overlap) and behaviors (molting, movements).

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Main Results:

  • Chewing lice prevalence increased explosively from 2003-2005 in all 12 studied bird species.
  • The increase coincided with apparent food limitation and the presence of a nonnative bird.
  • Infestation intensity correlated with feather damage (fault bars), indicating nutritive stress.
  • Native species with greater bill overlap had lower infection prevalence and intensity.
  • Birds with lice had lower recapture rates, suggesting increased mortality or reduced detectability.

Conclusions:

  • Food limitation and potential introduction of a nonnative bird likely triggered the louse outbreak.
  • Host traits like bill overlap and seasonal behaviors influence parasite transmission and control.
  • Louse parasitism imposes indirect costs on birds, impacting their condition and survival.