Active Anting Behavior in Red-Crested Cardinal Paroaria Coronata and Rufous-Collared Sparrow Zonotrichia Capensis

Abstract

Over 200 bird species exhibit a behavior known as anting, wherein birds spread ants or other arthropods, along with their secretions, to their plumage. Anting is hypothesized to serve purposes such as controlling skin bacteria or fungi, repelling ectoparasites, alleviating skin irritation during molting, or pre-treating ants prior to ingestion. In this note, I present the first records of anting behavior in an adult Red-crested Cardinal Paroaria coronata, and in an adult and a juvenile Rufous-collared Sparrow Zonotrichia capensis. These birds rubbed ants of Camponotus mus (Formicidae: Formicinae) on their feathers. The cardinal rubbed the ants on the remiges of both wings, similar to the juvenile sparrow, while the adult sparrow applied them on its fairly deteriorated rectrices. In none of the cases were the ants consumed. These observations suggest that, at least in adult sparrows, the application of ants responded to the presence of ectoparasites.