Does malaria infection increase the risk of predation-related mortality during bird migration?
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: The migratory culling hypothesis posits that infected individuals are less likely to survive long-distance migration due to physiological and behavioral effects, but this lacks empirical evidence. Here, we tested this hypothesis by sampling 357 passerines from 11 species during their autumn migration to wintering grounds in two different areas, i) at a stopover in southern Spain, and ii) in the Canary Islands, where they were drifted and preyed upon by Eleonora’s falcons while en route to the southern Sahara. Molecular detection of infections by Plasmodium , Haemoproteus, and Leucocytozoon was conducted on bird samples. A higher prevalence of both Plasmodium and Haemoproteus was observed in birds preyed upon by falcons. While a complete understanding of the mechanistic effects of haemosporidian infections on migration performance needs experimental validation, our approach suggests that infection reduces migration success by increasing mortality due to route deviations and/or predation. • Infected birds are predicted to die during long-distance migration • Avian malaria prevalence was higher midway than before crossing to Africa • This higher prevalence occurred in birds that drifted off course and were hunted by predators • We provide empirical support to the migratory culling hypothesis Wildlife microbiology; Ecology; Ornithology; Evolutionary biology
Source: iScience
Authors: Laura Gangoso, Claudia Santamaría-Cervantes, Josué Martínez-de la Puente, María José Ruiz López, Jordi Figuerola
Language: English
Subfield: Parasitology
Field: Immunology and Microbiology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,150
OpenAlex ID: W4404185877