EFFECTS OF THE AMERICAN SWALLOW BUG (OECIACUS VICARIUS) ON REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS IN THE BARN SWALLOW (HIRUNDO RUSTICA)

摘要

The American swallow bug (Oeciacus vicarius) is a haematophagous ectoparaite that specializes on the cliff swallow (Hirundo pyrrhonota) as its host. During 1998, 41 of 166 barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) nests in northeast Texas were found infected with this parasite. This paper provides the first published account on the effect of O. Vicarius on barn swallows. In general the effect parasitism was slight, being evident as Reduced feather growth among broods of five young, but not among broods of four young.