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A review of the nest protection hypothesis: does inclusion of fresh green plant material in birds’ nests reduce parasite infestation?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 March 2015

JAMES F. SCOTT-BAUMANN  and
ERIC R. MORGAN
JAMES F. SCOTT-BAUMANN*
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
ERIC R. MORGAN
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
*
* Corresponding author: The Old Smithy, 3 Kent road, Congresbury, Somerset, BS49 5BD, UK. E-mail: Js0180@my.bristol.ac.uk
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Summary

The use of aromatic plants and their essential oils for ectoparasite treatment is a field of growing interest. Several species of birds regularly introduce aromatic herbs into their nests putatively to reduce parasites. The behaviour is most often seen in cavity nesting birds and after nest building has finished. The plants are included in a non-structural manner and are often strongly aromatic. Various different hypotheses have been proposed regarding the function of this behaviour; from the plants altering some non-living factor in the nest (crypsis, water loss and insulation hypotheses) to them being involved in mate selection (mate hypothesis) or even having a beneficial effect, direct or indirect, on chicks (drug or nest protection hypothesis, NPH). Many studies have been carried out over the years observing and experimentally testing these hypotheses. This review focuses on studies involving the most popular of these hypotheses, the NPH: that plants decrease nest parasites or pathogens, thereby conveying positive effects to the chicks, allowing the behaviour to evolve. Studies providing observational evidence towards this hypothesis and those experimentally testing it are discussed.

Keywords

aromaticblue titstarlingnest protectionnesting material
Type
Review Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 142 , Issue 8 , July 2015 , pp. 1016 - 1023
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Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

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