Population dynamics of Mallophaga and Acari on reed buntings occupying a communal winter roost

Abstract. 1. Mallophaga and Acari were collected from 324 reed buntings (Emberiza schoeniclus (Linnaeus)) captured in a communal winter roost between October 1980 and March 1981.
2. Frequency distributions of one of the mallophagan species, (Philopterus docophorulus (Zlotorzycka)), of the aggregated Mallophaga, and of the aggregated Acari, conform well with a negative binomial model. The remaining three mallophagan species collected were not present in sufficient numbers to describe a frequency distribution.
3. The ratio of nymphs to adults in the mallophagan community increased significantly in the second half of the roosting period (January–March) indicating the onset of increased reproductive activity.