ACTIVE ANTING WITH A MILLIPEDE (DIPLOPODA) BY A TURQUOISE JAY Cyanolyca turcosa (CORVIDAE) IN THE SOUTHERN ANDES OF ECUADOR

Some ectoparasites of birds can have adverse effects on their hosts’ fitness. Therefore, anti-parasitic behaviors such as ‘anting’ have evolved to combat various parasites. This note provides a new report of anting behavior in a Turquoise Jay Cyanolyca turcosa in Cajas National Park, located in the high Andes of southern Ecuador. An adult bird was observed using a medium-size millipede to actively rub its plumage, suggesting a potential external parasite removal strategy (anting). After 12 min of this behavior, the millipede was consumed by the bird. This observation opens up the possibility that anting behavior is more common than previously acknowledged.