Anting (behavior): Difference between revisions
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[[File:Black Drongo I2 IMG 5683.jpg|thumb|A [[black drongo]] in a typical anting posture]] |
[[File:Black Drongo I2 IMG 5683.jpg|thumb|A [[black drongo]] in a typical anting posture]] |
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'''Anting''' is a [[self-anointing in animals|self-anointing]] behavior during which [[bird]]s rub insects, usually [[ant]]s, on their feathers and skin. The bird may pick up the insects in its bill and rub them on the body (active anting), or the bird may lie in an area of high density of the insects and perform [[dust bathing]]-like movements (passive anting). The insects secrete liquids containing chemicals such as [[formic acid]], which can act as an [[insecticide]], [[miticide]], [[fungicide]], or [[bactericide]]. Alternatively, anting could make the insects edible by removing the distasteful acid, or, possibly supplement the bird's own [[Uropygial gland|preen oil]]. Instead of ants, birds can also use [[millipede]]s. More than 200 species of bird are known to ant.<ref name = "Osborn"/> A possibly related behaviour, [[self-anointing in animals|self-anointing]], is seen in many mammals. |
'''Anting''' is a [[self-anointing in animals|self-anointing]] behavior during which [[bird]]s rub insects, usually [[ant]]s, on their feathers and skin. The bird may pick up the insects in its bill and rub them on the body (active anting), or the bird may lie in an area of high density of the insects and perform [[dust bathing]]-like movements (passive anting). The insects secrete liquids containing chemicals such as [[formic acid]], which can act as an [[insecticide]], [[miticide]], [[fungicide]], or [[bactericide]]. Alternatively, anting could make the insects edible by removing the distasteful acid, or, possibly supplement the bird's own [[Uropygial gland|preen oil]]. Instead of ants, birds can also use [[millipede]]s. More than 200 species of bird are known to ant.<ref name = "Osborn"/> A possibly related behaviour, [[self-anointing in animals|self-anointing]], is seen in many mammals. |
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== Types of Anting == |
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=== Active Anting === |
=== Active Anting === |
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Anting most commonly occurs on the ground but in some species, birds practice anting on tree branches. A bird will then place the tip of its wing on the ground anting rub its bill containing an ant and rub its wing from the tip of the wing up |
Anting most commonly occurs on the ground but in some species, birds practice anting on tree branches. A bird will then place the tip of its wing on the ground anting rub its bill containing an ant and rub its wing from the tip of the wing up<ref name=":0" />. The tail is usually tucked between the legs and under the body, which results in the bird being unstable. Birds use one ant at a time and only rub a feather once with an ant. However, there are some cases were an ant is used more than once but never exceeds three uses<ref name=":0" />. There are some exceptions to this as [[starlings]] often take a ball of ants in their bills to be used for anting. Active anting happens very quickly and can often be mistaken for regular feather maintenance. This type of anting can last anywhere from just several minutes to half an hour. Most species of birds practice active anting and do this individually or in small groups. Birds may also use 'substitutes' inactive anting. Birds have been seen to use [[snails]], [[grasshoppers]], [[amphipods]] and even [[larvae]] <ref name=":0"> Morozov, N.S (July 31, 2014). "Why do birds practice anting?". Uspekhi Sovremennoi Biologii. 135: 97-112./ref>. |
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==Function== |
==Function== |
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[[File:Brahminy Kite Anting 01.jpg|right|thumb|A [[brahminy kite]] anting]] |
[[File:Brahminy Kite Anting 01.jpg|right|thumb|A [[brahminy kite]] anting]] |
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It has been suggested that anting is a way of reducing feather-parasites such as mites, or controlling fungi or bacteria, although there has been little convincing support for any of those theories. |
It has been suggested that anting is a way of reducing feather-parasites such as mites, or controlling fungi or bacteria, although there has been little convincing support for any of those theories. It is possible that the use of certain kinds of ants indicates the importance of the chemicals they release. Some cases of anting involved the use of [[millipede]]s or [[Cerura vinula|puss moth]] (''Cerura vinula'') caterpillars,<nowiki><ref></nowiki>{{cite book|title=Curious Naturalists|author=Tinbergen, Niko|page=107|publisher=University of Massachusetts Press|year=1974}}</ref> and these, too, are known to release powerful defensive chemicals.<ref name=":0" /> |
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=== Passive Anting === |
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Passive anting occurs when a bird rubs its wings and tail on an anthill.Once a bird has found an anthill it will then spread both of its wings forward at the same time. It will then sit on its tails which attracts the ants to come. Once the ants are on their wing feathers they provoke the ants by rubbing their head or beak through their feathers where the ants are. To prevent ant from crawling onto a bird's head or beak the bird will shake its head very quickly. The birds allow the ants to roam freely around its feathers. This type of anting is less common and is mostly seen in [[robins]] and [[Corvus]] ravens <ref name=":0" /> |
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== Function of Anting == |
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Another suggestion, based on observation of [[blue jay]]s, is that the bird makes the insects edible by discharging the harmful acid onto its feathers. Birds were found to show anting behaviour only if the ants had a full acid sac, and with subjects whose acid sacs had been experimentally removed, the behaviour was absent.<ref name=j3/> |
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=== Ridding of ectoparasites === |
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It has also been suggested that anting is related to [[Moulting#In birds|moulting]]. Correlation with moulting, however, may be attributable to the greater activity of ants in summer.<ref name=j4/> |
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Anting to get rid of ectoparasites is another hypothesis for anting in [[songbirds]]. This hypothesis suggests that birds use the chemical secretions that come from ants to control and rid of parasites in their feathers. [[Microorganisms]] such as [[bacteria]] and [[fungi]] can destroy a bird’s feathers if their numbers get large enough. [[Formic acid]] is commonly produced chemical by ants, and it was found to inhibit growth of feather destroying [[microorganisms]]<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last=Revis|first=Hannah C.|last2=Waller|first2=Deborah A.|date=2004|title=BACTERICIDAL AND FUNGICIDAL ACTIVITY OF ANT CHEMICALS ON FEATHER PARASITES: AN EVALUATION OF ANTING BEHAVIOR AS A METHOD OF SELF-MEDICATION IN SONGBIRDS|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1642/0004-8038(2004)121[1262:bafaoa]2.0.co;2|journal=The Auk|volume=121|issue=4|pages=1262|doi=10.1642/0004-8038(2004)121[1262:bafaoa]2.0.co;2|issn=0004-8038}}</ref>. However there is little evidence that chemicals from ants help to ride other [[parasites]] such as [[feather lice]] and [[mites]]<ref name=":1" /> . |
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==History== |
==History== |
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Revision as of 22:59, 14 November 2019
Anting is a self-anointing behavior during which birds rub insects, usually ants, on their feathers and skin. The bird may pick up the insects in its bill and rub them on the body (active anting), or the bird may lie in an area of high density of the insects and perform dust bathing-like movements (passive anting). The insects secrete liquids containing chemicals such as formic acid, which can act as an insecticide, miticide, fungicide, or bactericide. Alternatively, anting could make the insects edible by removing the distasteful acid, or, possibly supplement the bird's own preen oil. Instead of ants, birds can also use millipedes. More than 200 species of bird are known to ant.[1] A possibly related behaviour, self-anointing, is seen in many mammals.
Types of Anting
Active Anting
Anting most commonly occurs on the ground but in some species, birds practice anting on tree branches. A bird will then place the tip of its wing on the ground anting rub its bill containing an ant and rub its wing from the tip of the wing up[2]. The tail is usually tucked between the legs and under the body, which results in the bird being unstable. Birds use one ant at a time and only rub a feather once with an ant. However, there are some cases were an ant is used more than once but never exceeds three uses[2]. There are some exceptions to this as starlings often take a ball of ants in their bills to be used for anting. Active anting happens very quickly and can often be mistaken for regular feather maintenance. This type of anting can last anywhere from just several minutes to half an hour. Most species of birds practice active anting and do this individually or in small groups. Birds may also use 'substitutes' inactive anting. Birds have been seen to use snails, grasshoppers, amphipods and even larvae [2] and these, too, are known to release powerful defensive chemicals.[2]
Passive Anting
Passive anting occurs when a bird rubs its wings and tail on an anthill.Once a bird has found an anthill it will then spread both of its wings forward at the same time. It will then sit on its tails which attracts the ants to come. Once the ants are on their wing feathers they provoke the ants by rubbing their head or beak through their feathers where the ants are. To prevent ant from crawling onto a bird's head or beak the bird will shake its head very quickly. The birds allow the ants to roam freely around its feathers. This type of anting is less common and is mostly seen in robins and Corvus ravens [2]
Function of Anting
Ridding of ectoparasites
Anting to get rid of ectoparasites is another hypothesis for anting in songbirds. This hypothesis suggests that birds use the chemical secretions that come from ants to control and rid of parasites in their feathers. Microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi can destroy a bird’s feathers if their numbers get large enough. Formic acid is commonly produced chemical by ants, and it was found to inhibit growth of feather destroying microorganisms[3]. However there is little evidence that chemicals from ants help to ride other parasites such as feather lice and mites[3] .
History
The first scientific writings of this behaviour dates back to 1831. An American ornithologist named John James Audubon described wild juvenile turkeys "wallowed" in abandoned ant hills. The next written reference of this was occurred in 1847 when British naturalist released a manuscript call "Bird of Jamaica". In it he describes how ants remove parasites from a tame crow, while the crow is foraging for food. In 1934 a journalist and amateur ornithologies Alexander Chrisholm published "Bird Wonders of Australia" and in it described a strange relationship birds had with ants. [4] Erwin Stresemann in German as Einemsen then described this behaviour in the German ornithology journal Ornithologische Monatsberichte (Volume XLIII, p. 138) in 1935. Indian ornithologist Salim Ali interpreted an observation by his cousin Humayun Abdulali in the 1936 volume of Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society and included a reference to the Stresemann's paper suggesting that the German term could be translated into English as "anting".[5]
Related behaviours
Dusting with soil from ant-hills has been considered by some as equivalent to anting.[6]
Some birds like antbirds and flickers not only ant, but also consume the ants as an important part of their diet. Other opportunist ant-eating birds include sparrows, wrens, grouse and starlings.[7] European honey-buzzards have been found to gather fresh maple branches on the ground and then spread themselves over it and it has been suggested that this might be a case of tool-use to attract ants for anting.[8]
Similar to anting may be the observed habit some birds show of picking up cigarette butts, sometimes lit, and rubbing themselves with them.[9][10]
References
- ^ Osborn, Sophie A. H. (September 1998). "Anting by an American Dipper (Cinclus mexicanus)" (PDF). The Wilson Bulletin. 110 (3): 423–425.
- ^ a b c d e Morozov, N.S (July 31, 2014). "Why do birds practice anting?". Uspekhi Sovremennoi Biologii. 135: 97-112./ref>.
Function
A brahminy kite anting It has been suggested that anting is a way of reducing feather-parasites such as mites, or controlling fungi or bacteria, although there has been little convincing support for any of those theories. It is possible that the use of certain kinds of ants indicates the importance of the chemicals they release. Some cases of anting involved the use of millipedes or puss moth (Cerura vinula) caterpillars,<ref>Tinbergen, Niko (1974). Curious Naturalists. University of Massachusetts Press. p. 107.
- ^ a b Revis, Hannah C.; Waller, Deborah A. (2004). "BACTERICIDAL AND FUNGICIDAL ACTIVITY OF ANT CHEMICALS ON FEATHER PARASITES: AN EVALUATION OF ANTING BEHAVIOR AS A METHOD OF SELF-MEDICATION IN SONGBIRDS". The Auk. 121 (4): 1262. doi:10.1642/0004-8038(2004)121[1262:bafaoa]2.0.co;2. ISSN 0004-8038.
- ^ Morozov, N.S (July 31, 2014). "Why do birds practice anting?". Uspekhi Sovremennoi Biologii. 135: 97-112.
- ^ Ali, Salim (1936). "Do birds employ ants to rid themselves of ectoparasites?". J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 38 (3): 628–631.
- ^ Kelso, L.; Nice, Margaret M. (1963). "A Russian contribution to anting and feather mites" (PDF). The Wilson Bulletin. 75 (1): 23–26.
- ^ Taber, Stephen Welton (1998). The World of the Harvester Ants. W.L. Moody, jr. Natural History Series. Vol. 23. Texas A&M University Press.
- ^ Camacho, Carlos; Potti, Jaime (2018). "Non-foraging tool use in European Honey-buzzards: An experimental test". PLOS ONE. 13 (11): e0206843. Bibcode:2018PLoSO..1306843C. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0206843. PMC 6248935. PMID 30462689.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link) - ^ Simmons, K.E.L. (1957). "A review of the anting-behaviour of passerine birds" (PDF). British Birds. 50 (10): 401–424.
- ^ Goodwin, Derek (1955). "Anting". Avicultural Magazine. 61: 21–25.
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