First Place Empirical Category
University Libraries’ Excellence in Information Literacy Awardee
Student: Morgana Costanzo
Advisor: Dr. Meg Hatch and Dr. Robert Smith
Studying how different species affect tick infestation is crucial for managing tick-borne diseases and ecosystem health because understanding these interactions can help identify key species that contribute to the abundance of tick populations. We examined the presence or absence of ticks (Ixodes) on the heads and mandibles of songbirds captured at Lackawanna State Park in Lackawanna County, PA. We were interested in whether there was a relationship between bird species and number of ticks present. Of the 12 species examined, there was a significant relationship between tick prevalence and species, with American Robins (Turdus migratorius), Common Yellow Throats (Geothlypis trichas), Eastern Towhees (Pipilo erythrophthalmus), and Wood Thrushes (Hylocichla mustelina) differing significantly than the other species examined. There were also four species on which no ticks were observed. Among two bird species with a considerable number of captures, there was no seasonal difference in tick intensity. Our study contributes to others that found differences in tick prevalence among various species of songbirds and may contribute to the further understanding of tick-borne diseases in birds.
Key Words: migratory songbirds, tick prevalence, tick intensity, species differences, parasitology, avian ecology.