Of great tits and fleas: sleep baby sleep...

Article Abstract:

Haematophagous ectoparasites affect the time allocation pattern of brooding female great tits. The infested females spend more than three-fold time on nest sanitation, showing a higher priority for food provisioning than parasite control. Females' sleeping time is reduced by 73.5% during night-time in parasite-free nests, as compared to 48.1% in infested nests. Ectoparasites fail to affect the females' rate of food provisioning. Males remain uninvolved in the typical nest sanitation, but they heighten the food provisioning rate by 50% as compared to non-infested males.

Analysis, Ectoparasitic infestations, Great tit

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Cheek rubbing as grooming by Abert squirrels

Article Abstract:

Cheek rubbing in Abert squirrels has developed as a self-grooming behavior to remove food particles instead of a scent marking mechanism. Cheek rubbing occurs in the home range areas or nesting sites because these squirrels spent 82% to 91% of the time around their nests. Nesting and social behavior are not associated with cheek rubbing. A comparison of the frequencies of behavioral activities during cheek-rubbing and other activities reveal that grooming and alert behavioral patterns are dominant.

Squirrels

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Evidence for an important social role of allogrooming in a platyrrhine primate

Article Abstract:

Allogrooming or social grooming behavior in a wild group of tufted capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella nigritus) was investigated. This behavior was found to play an important social function, as reflected by the close association between allogrooming, the social system and coalition formation. Its social importance was also indicated by the changes in grooming quantity and direction following the birth of infants and in the face of oestrous behavior.

Social aspects, Monkeys, Social behavior in animals, Animal social behavior

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