Mites inhabiting nests of wood warbler, Phylloscopus sibilatrix (Aves: Passeriformes), in the Wielkopolska National Park in western Poland

Abstract

The wood warbler, Phylloscopus sibilatrix (Aves: Passeriformes), is a well-known model organism for studying bird migration, breeding habitat selection and nest predation. The nest acarofauna of this bird species has not been extensively studied so far. To provide a comprehensive report on mite species inhabiting wood warbler nests and to assess infestation parameters (prevalence, intensity, and abundance) for mite species and orders, we collected 45 nests of this bird species in the Wielkopolska National Park in western Poland. Analyses revealed a huge diversity (198 species) of mites inhabiting wood warbler nests. We found individuals belonging to the Mesostigmata, Trombidiformes and Sarcoptiformes. The Trombidiformes, represented in our study only by the Prostigmata, achieved statistically significantly lower intensity and abundance, compared to representatives of other orders. However, the number of recorded prostigmatid species was high (65). The most common were: Stigmaeus sphagneti (22 nests), Stigmaeus longipilis (16), Eupodes voxencollinus (15), Cunaxa setirostris (14), Stigmaeus pilatus (11), and Linopodes sp. 2 (10). The prevalence of Mesostigmata and Sarcoptiformes was equal, reaching 91.1%. Most of Gamasina (Mesostigmata) species found in this study were more characteristic of the soil environment and forest litter than bird nests, but there was also a typical bird parasite, viz. Ornithonyssus sylviarum. None of the observed species of Uropodina (Mesostigmata) or Oribatida (Sarcoptiformes) was typical for bird nests. Among the Uropodina, the highest parameters of nest infestation were achieved by Oodinychus ovalis, whereas among the Oribatida, they were achieved by Metabelba pulverosa. We discuss the importance of wood warbler nests for mite dispersal, survival and reproduction.

Songbird nests on the ground as islands of diversity of ptyctimous mites (Acari: Oribatida) in the primeval Białowieża Forest (Poland)

“…In conclusion, our study assesses the ptyctimous mite assemblage inhabiting bird nests in an undisturbed forest ecosystem. It is one of the first studies documenting the assemblage of ptyctimous mites in bird nests that are situated on the forest floor, following the work by Napierała et al ( 2021 ) and Laska et al ( 2023 ), and the first one that includes comparison with litter in vicinity of the nests. In total, the 20 species of ptyctimous mites in wood warbler nests constituted ca.…”

“…Mite assemblages that have been extensively examined in bird nests include Mesostigmata, e.g., Uropodina (Acari: Parasitiformes), which can be regarded as facultative nidicoles inhabiting bird nests (Krištofík et al 2001 , 2005 , 2007 ; Mašán 2001 ; Gwiazdowicz and Mizera 2002 ; Fenďa and Schniererová 2004 ; Gwiazdowicz et al 2005 , 2006 ; Błoszyk et al 2005 , 2006 , 2009 ; Bajerlein et al 2006 ; Napierała et al 2021 ). Other groups of mites which were found in bird nests are Oribatida (Błoszyk and Olszanowski 1985 ; Fain et al 1993 ; Tryjanowski et al 2001 ; Ardeshir 2010 ; Ermilov 2013 ; Lebedeva and Poltavskaya 2013 ; Meleschuk and Skilsky 2017 ; Melekhina et al 2019 ; Napierała et al 2021 ; Liu et al 2022 ; Mangová et al 2022 , Laska et al 2023 ) and Prostigmata (Kaźmierski 1996 ; Bochkov 2004 ; Bochkov and OConnor 2010 ; Skoracki et al 2012 ; Kaźmierski et al 2018 ; Laska et al 2023 ). However, most of the publications on Oribatida in bird nests focus on faunistic studies, without any analysis of the examined communities (Błoszyk and Olszanowski 1985 ; Fain et al 1993 ; Tryjanowski et al 2001 ; Lebedeva and Poltavskaya 2013 ; Meleschuk and Skilsky 2017 ; Melekhina et al 2019 ; Liu et al 2022 ).…”

“…The exceptions are two studies describing assemblages of ptyctimous mites in Australia (Niedbała and Szywilewska-Szczykutowicz 2017 ; Niedbała et al 2021 ), and one work focusing on the communities of ptyctimous mites inhabiting soil and dead wood in the Białowieża Forest (Niedbała et al 2020 ). There are also two studies concerning mite assemblages in bird nests that include ptyctimous mites (Mangová et al 2022 ; Laska et al 2023 ), including one outlining the assemblages of oribatid mites in bird’s nests in an urban environment, and another describing mite assemblages (including representatives of Mesostigmata, Trombidiformes and Sarcoptiformes) inhabiting nests of wood warblers ( Phylloscopus sibilatrix ) collected in the Wielkopolska National Park (W Poland). However, information on the assemblage of ptyctimous mites within bird nests situated on the forest floor is still rare, and it remains unclear whether bird nests might represent islands of increased diversity of the mite assemblage in forest ecosystems.…”

“…Our study is one of the first to document the ptyctimous mite assemblage from bird nests situated on the forest floor in pristine habitat, specifically the nests of wood warblers (see also Laska et al 2023 ), collected from the best-preserved, old-growth stands of the Białowieża Forest. The wood warbler is an insectivorous songbird (body weight ca.…”

Mites Living in the Nests of the White Stork and Black Stork in Microhabitats of the Forest Environment and Agrocenoses

“…However, bird nests are unstable microhabitats (merocenoses) characterized by specific food, physicochemical, and microclimatic conditions [5,19]. Depending on the type of nest and the bird species it is used by, nests are inhabited by different groups and species of mites, as evidenced, inter alia, by the results of species composition analyses of mites identified in cup nests of the Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) [20], Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) and Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor) [15,21] and ground cup nests of the Wood Warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix) [22], in natural cavities used by the Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus borealis) [23], in nest boxes occupied by the Saddleback (Philesturnus carunculatus rufusater) [24] and Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) [16] or in platform nests of the Greater Spotted Eagle (Clanga clanga) and White-tailed Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) [25,26]. It is known, however, that the variability of microhabitat conditions in bird nests is determined, among others, by the shape and size of the nest, the type of building material [27,28], the duration of nest occupancy [25], and the setting/location of the nest [13].…”