Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou 571158, China.
Eologie Systématique Evolution, Université Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91405 Orsay Cedex, France.
Curr Biol. 2020 Dec 7;30(23):R1411-R1412. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.10.021.
The incorporation of aromatic plants into nests by birds is suspected to constitute an example of preventative medicine use, whereby the phytochemical compounds within plants reduce infestation by parasites and increase offspring condition [1,2]. In China, russet sparrows (Passer cinnamomeus) incorporate wormwood (Artemisia verlotorum) leaves into their nests around the same time that local people hang wormwood from their doors as a traditional custom during the Dragon Boat Festival. The belief that this behaviour confers protection against ill health [3] is supported by the description of anti-parasite compounds in wormwood [4]. It has been suggested that the incorporation of fresh wormwood leaves into nests may serve a similar function for sparrows. Here we show that sparrows choose nest location and resupply established nests with fresh wormwood leaves using olfactory cues, that nests containing wormwood leaves have lower ectoparasite loads, and that nests with more wormwood leaves produce heavier chicks. Our results indicate that sparrows use wormwood as a preventative medicine to control ectoparasites and improve the body mass of their offspring.
鸟类将芳香植物纳入巢中，这可能被认为是预防性药物使用的一个例子，因为植物中的植物化学化合物可以减少寄生虫的侵害，并提高后代的健康状况[1,2]。在中国，在端午节期间，人们会将艾草（Artemisia verlotorum）挂在门上作为一种传统习俗，此时红胸麻雀（Passer cinnamomeus）会将艾草叶子纳入巢中。人们相信这种行为可以预防疾病[3]，这一说法得到了艾草中抗寄生虫化合物的描述的支持[4]。有人认为，将新鲜的艾草叶子纳入鸟巢可能对麻雀有类似的作用。在这里，我们发现麻雀会利用嗅觉线索选择巢穴位置，并为已建立的巢穴补充新鲜的艾草叶子，而且含有艾草叶子的鸟巢寄生虫害较少，而且带有更多艾草叶子的鸟巢会孵化出更重的雏鸟。我们的研究结果表明，麻雀将艾草作为一种预防性药物来控制寄生虫，提高后代的体重。
