Brood parasitic nestlings benefit from unusual host defenses against botfly larvae (Philornis spp.)

Abstract

Brood parasitic birds lay their eggs into the nests of other birds, abandoning parental care of their nestlings to the unsuspecting hosts. Parasite and host nestlings may themselves be parasitized by botfly larvae (Philornis: Muscidae), which burrow under the nestlings’ skin and can seriously affect growth and survival. Here, we provide the first direct evidence that adult baywings (Agelaioides badius), the primary host of the specialist brood parasitic screaming cowbird (Molothrus rufoaxillaris), regularly remove botfly larvae from their own and parasitic nestlings by pulling them out of the nestlings’ skin. This is the only bird species known to remove botfly larvae. By combining nestling cross-fostering with video recording of baywing nests, we show that due to prompt removal, infection with botfly larvae had negligible effects on nestling growth and survival despite high prevalence. Our results provide the first direct observations for larva removal behavior in botfly hosts. Screaming cowbirds may benefit from using baywings as its main host, as larva removal by adult baywings reduces the costs of botfly parasitism. Infection by botfly larvae of the genus Philornis (Muscidae) causes nestling mortality in many Neotropical birds. Despite the lethal effects, most Philornis hosts studied so far lack specific defenses against these larvae. The grayish baywing (Agelaioides badius), primary host of the brood parasitic screaming cowbird (Molothrus rufoaxillaris), is the only species that, based on indirect evidence, would be able to remove Philornis larvae from infected nestlings. We provide the first direct evidence that adult baywings do indeed remove botfly larvae from their own nestlings as well as from parasitic cowbird nestlings and that this unusual defense may increase the survival of own and screaming cowbird nestlings at infected nests.