The honey buzzer uses the green branches of the maple as tools to be dewormed

The honey buzzer uses the green branches of the maple as tools to be dewormed https://noticiasdelaciencia.com/upload/images/11_2018/8811_45658.jpg?31

The honey buzzer uses the green branches of the maple as tools to be dewormed





A team from the Biological Station of Doñana (EBD), center of the Superior Council of Scientific Research (CSIC) in Seville (Spain), formed by researchers Carlos Camacho and Jaime Potti, has discovered very advanced cognitive skills in the honey buzzard (Pernis apivorus); that is able to use the green branches of the maple as a claim to attract the ants and take advantage of the formic acid that these insects give off as a kind of antiparasitic "lotion". The study has appeared in the last issue of PLoS ONE.

 

Camacho points out that this finding shows "unusual behavior and never before observed in birds: the use of green branches as a tool to attract ants." The researcher emphasizes that the honey falcon, migratory raptor bird widely distributed throughout the forests of Europe, despite its name, does not feed on bees or ants. The only reason it attracts ants to itself is to take advantage of the antiparasitic properties of formic acid that these insects secrete as a defense mechanism. "The use of tools with different purposes to obtain food is very rare in nature and is restricted to a few species," says Camacho.

 



The antiparasitic properties of formic acid are widely known by birds. In fact, as the researchers explain, it is a common behavior that different species come to the ant hills and tend on them or in their vicinity to cause the defense reaction of these insects and thus use the "bath" of formic acid as an insecticide. But the novel aspect is that the honey buzzard takes another step and it is not he who goes in search of the ants, but gets them to go to him. To do this, it uses as a claim fresh maple branches that, perhaps because of the sweetness of its sap, attract powerful ants.

 



 

Honey buzzard. (Photo: CSIC)

 

Camacho describes the strategy that sets in motion the "wise hawk" to obtain its insecticidal lotion: "every morning, in a ritual way, the hawk collects small green branches of maple. Carefully place the maple branches on the ground and lay on them, allowing the ants to ascend their wings until they submerge among their feathers. That's when the falcon can enjoy the benefits of formic acid. "

 

But the strategy goes further, since beekeepers are careful to replace the branches at regular intervals of thirty-five minutes, to avoid losing their attractive power as they dry up. This behavior demonstrates not only an awareness of the passage of time, but also an exhaustive knowledge of the environment, because the maples are restricted to a very small area of ​​the territory frequented by these birds of prey.

 

The researcher explains that the finding was achieved through two experiments. "In the first of them we imitated the behavior of the hawk and we placed on the ground green branches of different plants to compare its attractive power. In the second experiment we estimate the force required to cut each of the branches used. The results showed that the hawk selects not only the easiest species to collect, but also the one that attracts the largest number of ants in less time, "he concluded. (Source: CSIC / DICYT)
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