Delay in arrival: lineage-specific influence of haemosporidians on autumn migration of European robins.

ABSTRACT: Haemosporidian blood parasites are widely used in evolutionary ecological research when exploring the effects of parasites on different life-history traits of their bird hosts. However, their roles in bird migration are less studied. If these parasites deteriorate the body condition of the birds strongly, they might negatively affect the whole migration phenology and the survival of the birds as well. In our study, we tested the relationships between infection for parasite genera (Haemoproteus or Plasmodium), the three most frequent parasite lineages and body condition (body mass, fat deposit), and the timing of autumn migration in the European Robin (Erithacus rubecula). We found that mean body mass and fat scores did not differ between parasitized and non-parasitized individuals, but inf

SUBMITTER: Agh N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9464164 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature