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Green tree ant Oecophylla smaragdina (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) used for anting activity by Chestnut Breasted MannikinValentine, Peter S. (2007) Green tree ant Oecophylla smaragdina (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) used for anting activity by Chestnut Breasted Mannikin. Sunbird : journal of the Queensland Ornithological Society, 37 (1). pp. 9-11. ISSN 1037-258X Full text available as:
AbstractI frequently observed individual and social anting behaviour in flocks of Chestnut-breasted Mannikin, Lonchura castaneothorax, that visited riparian areas of the upper Bohle River in Townsville regularly from May to December 2006. What is quite remarkable is that the behaviour involved both passive and active anting with the green tree ant (Oecophylla smaragdina) a very aggressive weaver ant confined to tropical coastal and sub-coastal environments across Australia (Lokkers, 1986). This is a first report of the green tree ant being used by an Australian bird and the first record of the Chestnut-breasted Mannikin engaging in anting.
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