Ornithology from the flatlands The logic to questions about birds (and other topics)

摘要

Why do House Martins Delichon urbicum prefer stinking old mud nests over clean strong artificial nests made of wood-concrete? Why do they choose the very nests that carry a load of louse fly Crataerina hirundinis pupae, parasites which as soon as they feel the warmth of returning martins will develop into serious bloodsucking monsters (Summers 1975, Piersma 2013)?