Weaver Birds and Fire-Flies

Flies and fish: birds of a feather.

The identification of specific clock-containing structures has been a major endeavour of the circadian field for many years. This has lead to the identification of many key components of the circadian system, including the suprachiasmatic nucleus in mammals, and the eyes and pineal glands in lower vertebrates. However, the idea that these structures represent the only clocks in animals has been...

Repeatability of nest morphology in African weaver birds.

It is generally assumed that birds build nests according to a genetic 'template', little influenced by learning or memory. One way to confirm the role of genetics in nest building is to assess the repeatability of nest morphology with repeated nest attempts. Solitary weaver birds, which build multiple nests in a single breeding season, are a useful group with which to do this. Here we show that...

Louse flies on birds of Baja California.

Louse flies were collected from 401 birds of 32 species captured in autumn of 1996 in Baja California Sur (Mexico). Only one louse fly species (Microlynchia pusilla) was found. It occurred in four of the 164 common ground doves (Columbina passerina) collected. This is a new a host species for this louse fly.

Incidence of Louse-flies (Hippoboscidae) in Some Alaskan Birds

Information was gathered on'the incidence of hippoboscid louse-flies (Diptera, Hippoboscidae) on passerine birds in interior Alaska during 1987. Other authors have discussed louse-fly infestations in birds, but always in areas with less severe climatic conditions. The hippoboscid species found (Omithomya bequaertl} was described by Maa (1969) as a new species, and few data are available on abun...

Pseudacteon Decapitating Flies: Potential Vectors of a Fire Ant Virus?