ACTIVE ANTING BEHAVIOR IN RED-CRESTED CARDINAL PAROARIA CORONATA AND RUFOUS-COLLARED SPARROW ZONOTRICHIA CAPENSIS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58843/ornneo.v35i1.1307Keywords:
Ants, body maintenance, Camponotus, feather maintenance, PasseriformesAbstract
Over 200 bird species exhibit a behavior known as anting, wherein birds spread ants or other arthropods, along with their secretions, to their plumage. Anting is hypothesized to serve purposes such as controlling skin bacteria or fungi, repelling ectoparasites, alleviating skin irritation during molting, or pre-treating ants prior to ingestion. In this note, I present the first records of anting behavior in an adult Red-crested Cardinal Paroaria coronata, and in an adult and a juvenile Rufous-collared Sparrow Zonotrichia capensis. These birds rubbed ants of Camponotus mus (Formicidae: Formicinae) on their feathers. The cardinal rubbed the ants on the remiges of both wings, similar to the juvenile sparrow, while the adult sparrow applied them on its fairly deteriorated rectrices. In none of the cases were the ants consumed. These observations suggest that, at least in adult sparrows, the application of ants responded to the presence of ectoparasites.
References
Ali, S (1936) Do birds employ ants to rid themselves of ectoparasites? Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 38: 628–631.
Altmann, J (1974) Observational study of behavior: sampling methods. Behaviour 49: 227–267. https://doi.org/10.1163/156853974X00534
Bonser, RHC (2001) Mites on birds. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 16: 18–19. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-5347(00)02012-7
Bush, SE & DH Clayton (2018) Anti-parasite behaviour of birds. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B 373: 20170196. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2017.0196
Canevari, MP, P Canevari, GR Carrizo, G Harris, J Rodríguez Mata, R J Stranneck (1991) Nueva Guía de las Aves Argentinas. T. II. Fundación Acindar, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Chisholm, AH (1944) The problem of “anting”. Ibis 86: 389–405. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1474-919X.1944.tb04095.x
Cimadom, A, C Causton, D Cha, D Damiens, B Fessl, R Hood-Nowotny, P Lincango, AE Mieles, E Nemeth, EM Semler, SA Teale & S Tebbich (2016) Darwin’s finches treat their feathers with a natural repellent. Scientific Reports 6: 34559. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep34559
Clark, CC, L Clark & L Clark (1990) “Anting” behavior by Common Grackles and European Starlings. Wilson Bulletin 102: 167–169.
Clayton, DH, JAH Koop, CW Harbison, BB Moyer & SE Bush (2010) How birds combat ectoparasites. Open Ornithology Journal 3: 41–71. https://doi.org/10.2174/1874453201003010041
Clunie, F (1976) Jungle mynah “anting” with millipede. Notornis 23: 77.
Coulson, JO (2023) Turquoise Jay Cyanolyca turcosa self-anointing (anting) with a millipede. Ornitología Neotropical 34: 17–20. https://doi.org/10.58843/ornneo.v34i1.971
Di Giacomo, A (2005) Aves de la Reserva El Bagual. Pp. 201–465 in Di Giacomo, AG & SF Krapovickas (eds). Historia natural y paisaje de la Reserva El Bagual, provincia de Formosa, Argentina. Temas de Naturaleza y Conservación 4. Aves Argentinas, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Ehrlich, PR, DS Dobkin & D Where (1986) The adaptive significance of anting. Auk 103: 835.
Eisner, T & D Aneshansley (2008) “Anting” in Blue Jays: evidence in support of a food-preparatory function. Chemoecology 18: 197–203. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00049-008-0406-3
Groskin, H (1950) Additional observations and comments on "anting" by birds. Auk 67: 201–209. https://doi.org/10.2307/4081213
Heinroth, O (1911) Bericht über die November-Sitzung 1910. Journal für Ornithologie 59: 170–173. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02135103
Hendricks, P (2016) Anting. In Shackelford, TK & VA Weekes-Shackelford (eds). Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer International Publishing, Cham, USA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_3167-1
Ivor, HR (1943) Further studies of anting by birds. Auk 60: 51–55. https://doi.org/10.2307/4079310
King, JR (1972) Postnuptial and postjuvenal molt in Rufous-Collared Sparrows in northwestern Argentina. Condor 74: 5–16. https://doi.org/10.2307/1366444
Klavins, J, E Mérida & NA Villafañe (2014) Record of the White-throated Woodcreeper Xiphocolaptes albicollis using a millipede for anting in Argentina. Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia 22: 242–243. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03544252
McAtee, WL (1938) Anting by birds. Auk 55: 98–105. https://doi.org/10.2307/4078505
Miller, AH (1961) Molt cycles in equatorial andean sparrows. Condor 63: 143–161. https://doi.org/10.2307/1365527
Morozov, NS (2015) Why do birds practice anting? Biology Bulletin Reviews 5: 353–365. https://doi.org/10.1134/S2079086415040076
Nice, MM (1945) Cowbirds anting. Auk 62: 302–303. https://doi.org/10.2307/4079714
Ohkawara, K, Y Kamei & T Akino (2022) Anting behavior in birds: the behavioral patterns and the interactions with ants in the subgenus Dendrolasius of the genus Lasius. Journal of Ornithology 163: 633–641. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-022-01974-5
Pérez-Rivera, RA (2019) Use of millipedes as food and for self-anointing by the Puerto Rican Grackle (Quiscalus niger brachypterus). Ornitología Neotropical 30: 69–71. https://doi.org/10.58843/ornneo.v30i0.441
Potter, EF (1970) Anting in wild birds, its frequency and probable purpose. Auk 87: 692–713. https://doi.org/10.2307/4083703
Revis, HC & DA Waller (2004) Bactericidal and fungicidal activity of ant chemicals on feather parasites: an evaluation of anting behavior as a method of self-medication in songbirds. Auk 121: 1262–1268. https://doi.org/10.1093/auk/121.4.1262
Sazima, I (2009) Anting behaviour with millipedes by the dendrocolaptid bird Xiphocolaptes albicollis in southeastern Brazil. Biota Neotropica 9: 249–252. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1676-06032009000100027
Segura, LN & MF Arturi (2012) La estructura del hábitat influye en la abundancia del Cardenal Común (Paroaria coronata) en un bosque templado de Argentina. Ornitologia Neotropical 23: 11–21.
Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (2022) Clima de Argentina. Estadísticas climáticas. Available at https://www.smn.gob.ar/estadisticas [Accessed 15 May 2022]
Simmons, KEL (1955) The nature of anting. British Birds 48: 94–96.
Simmons, KEL (1957) A review of the anting-behaviour of Passerine birds. British Birds 10: 401–424.
Simmons, KEL (1966) Anting and the problem of self-stimulation. Journal of Zoology 149: 145–162. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1966.tb03890.x
Simmons KEL (1985) Anting. P 19 in Campbell B, & E Lack (eds). A Dictionary of birds. Volume 19. Buteo Books, Vermillion, USA.
Soria, K, P Zelaya, D Ortiz & P Capllonch (2012) Breve análisis de la avifauna de Pozo Hondo, Santiago del Estero, Argentina. Nuestras Aves 57: 3–8. https://doi.org/10.56178/na.vi57.344
Southern, WE (1963) Three species observed anting on a wet lawn. Wilson Bulletin 75: 275–276.
Stresemann, E (1935) Die Benutzüng von Ameisen zur Gefiederpflege. Ornithologische Monatsherichte 43:134–138.
Weldon, PJ & JF Carroll (2006) Vertebrate chemical defense: secreted and topically acquired deterrents of arthropods. Pp 47–75 in Debboun, M, SP Frances & D Stickman (eds). Insect repellents: principles, methods and uses. CRC Press, New York, USA. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781420006650.ch3
Wenny, D (1998) Three-striped warbler (Basileuterus tristriatus) “anting” with a caterpillar. Wilson Bulletin 110: 128–131.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Mario Luis Chatellenaz
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This open access article is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY), that allows others unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction, providing the original author and source are credited.
