Interactions of mistletoe with its hosts and potential seed-dispersing birds in a peri-urban area of Central Pacific, Mexico

Abstract Mistletoes are hemiparasitic plants that cause damage on the host trees, whose seeds are mainly dispersed by birds. Mistletoes have complex interactions with their hosts and seed dispersers. We studied the interaction of mistletoes with their hosts and potential seed-dispersing birds in a peri-urban area in Puerto Escondido city, Oaxaca, Mexico. From May 2019 to December 2021, we conducted a census to identify the hosts, measure infestation intensity, and dendrometric features (diameter at breast height, tree height, and crown diameter area). Additionally, between November 2019 and March 2020, we recorded the number of birds, number and timing of bird fruit consumption. A total of 294 hosts were recorded, including 13 species, 11 genera and six families. Meliacae (n = 161) and Fabaceae (n = 86) families had the highest number of infested individuals. Swietenia humilis, Azadirachta indica, and Vachellia farmesiana showed high infestation rates. The infestation intensity of the hosts was influenced by the DBH and crown diameter. Nine birds species were observed feeding on mistletoe fruits. Myozetetes similis was the primary seed disperser of mistletoe Struthanthus sp. Bird abundance and fruit consumption increased with infestation intensity. Measures to control mistletoe should include gradually replacing highly-infested trees with native species that have no record of mistletoe infestation, and pruning infested branches during the mistletoe flowering period.