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“Bug-eggs” for Common Swifts and other small birds: minimally-invasive and stress-free blood sampling during incubation

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Abstract

The use of haematophagous bugs (Triatominae) for minimally-invasive blood sampling has increasingly gained interest. We developed a small bug-containing dummy egg (size: 25 × 19 [mm]) for stress-free blood sampling during incubation in Common Swifts (Apus apus) and potentially even smaller bird species. Our design expands on an application of a method previously used successfully on larger birds. In our study, 40 % of blood-sampling attempts were successful. Success was highest in the early breeding season, higher at noon than later in the day and unaffected by nest infestation with ectoparasitic louse-flies (Crataerina pallida). We recommend this method for blood-sampling birds without trapping during the sensitive period of incubation and encourage its application in small bird species.

Zusammenfassung

„Wanzen-Eier” für Mauersegler und andere kleine Vögel – minimal-invasive und stressfreie Blutentnahme während der Inkubationszeit

Der Einsatz blutsaugender Wanzen (Triatominae) zur minimal-invasiven Blutprobengewinnung hat zunehmend an Interesse in der Forschung gewonnen. Zur stressfreien Blutentnahme während der Inkubationszeit entwickelten wir für Mauersegler (Apus apus) – und potentiell noch kleinere Vogelarten – ein kleines künstliches Ei (25 x 19 [mm]), in das eine Wanze gesetzt wird. Unser „Wanzen-Ei“-Design erweitert die Anwendung einer Methode, die bei größeren Vogelarten bereits erfolgreich war. In unserer Studie lag die Erfolgsquote der Blutentnahme bei 40 %. Sie war vor allem zu Beginn der Brutsaison hoch, war in den Mittagsstunden höher als in den Stunden danach und war unabhängig vom Befall des Nestes mit Lausfliegen (Crataerina pallida). Wir empfehlen diese Methode zur stressfreien Blutentnahme bei Vögeln ohne deren Fang während der empfindlichen Zeit der Inkubation - auch bei kleineren Vogelarten.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank: Dieter Gaumann and Bernd Meyer (University of Siegen) for preparing the “bug-eggs”, Wolfgang Hoffmann (Straßen Nordrhein-Westfalen) for permission to work in the bridge, Klaus-Michael Exo (IfV Wilhelmshaven) for providing temperature loggers. Peter H. Becker (IfV Wilhelmshaven) and two anonymous referees for helpful comments on the manuscript. Field studies were done under licence from Landesamt für Natur-, Umwelt- und Verbraucherschutz Nordrhein-Westfalen (9.93.2.10.41.07.095). Ethologische Gesellschaft e.V. (Marburg/Lahn) and University of Siegen provided financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Group on Ecology and Behavioral Biology, Section of Biology, Department of Chemistry and Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Siegen, Adolf-Reichwein-Straße 2, 57068, Siegen, Germany

    Christina Bauch, Arndt H. J. Wellbrock & Klaudia Witte

  2. Institute of Avian Research “Vogelwarte Helgoland”, An der Vogelwarte 21, 26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany

    Christina Bauch & Rolf Nagel

  3. Pelkovenstraße 65, 80992, Munich, Germany

    Jan Rozman

Authors
  1. Christina Bauch
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  2. Arndt H. J. Wellbrock
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  3. Rolf Nagel
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  4. Jan Rozman
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  5. Klaudia Witte
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christina Bauch.

Additional information

Communicated by L. Fusani.

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Bauch, C., Wellbrock, A.H.J., Nagel, R. et al. “Bug-eggs” for Common Swifts and other small birds: minimally-invasive and stress-free blood sampling during incubation. J Ornithol 154, 581–585 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-013-0931-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-013-0931-x

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