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Is Allopreening a Stimulus-Driven Defense Against Ectoparasites?

Graham B Goodman1, Sarah A Conner1, Sarah E Bush1

  • 1School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, 257 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112.

The Journal of Parasitology
|February 15, 2020
PubMed
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Allopreening, or social grooming in birds, did not increase with added feather lice. This suggests allopreening may not be a direct response to parasite load in rock pigeons.

Keywords:
Anti-Parasite BehaviorColumbicola columbaeFeather LicePigeon

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Area of Science:

  • Ethology
  • Behavioral Ecology
  • Avian Biology

Background:

  • Allopreening, where one bird grooms another, typically targets inaccessible areas like the head and neck.
  • Previous studies suggest allopreening aids in ectoparasite control in various bird species.
  • The relationship between parasite load and allopreening frequency remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if allopreening rates in rock pigeons (Columba livia) change in response to increased ectoparasite loads.
  • To determine if allopreening is a programmed behavior or a direct reaction to parasite burden.

Main Methods:

  • A laboratory experiment was conducted on wild-caught rock pigeons.
  • Feather lice (Columbicola columbae) were introduced to a treatment group of pigeons.
  • Allopreening rates were compared between the lice-exposed group and a control group.

Main Results:

  • Allopreening rates did not significantly differ between pigeons with and without added feather lice.
  • No increase in allopreening was observed following the introduction of ectoparasites.
  • A negative correlation was found between allopreening and self-preening rates.

Conclusions:

  • Allopreening in rock pigeons does not appear to be a direct response to increased ectoparasite load.
  • The behavior may be a programmed response rather than a facultative adjustment to parasite burden.
  • Further research is needed to understand the precise functions and regulation of allopreening.