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Birds are important models for the study of host–parasite interactions (Loye and Zuk 1991, Clayton and Moore 1997). Much of this research has focused on arthropod ectoparasites that feed on feathers (e.g., Clayton et al. 2003, Proctor 2003), because feathers are so important to avian life-history traits. Feathers function in thermoregulation (Stettenheim 2000), communication (Andersson 1994, Shuster and Wade 2003), and flight (Rayner 1988). Damaged feathers have reduced abilities to perform these functions (Booth et al. 1993, Swaddle and Witter 1997, Ferns and Lang 2003, Williams and Swaddle 2003), so there are likely fitness consequences for individuals possessing damaged feathers. A subset of plumage bacteria that can degrade feathers has garnered interest, because it may impose significant evolutionary selection pressures on birds, as arthropod ectoparasites do. Aspects of avian morphology, behavior, and life history may be influenced by a coevolutionary battle between birds and feather-degrading bacteria (FDB) that damage their plumage. Research on FDB and birds is in its nascent stages; however, a substantial body of literature has attempted to understand how birds and these microbes interact. Here, I synthesize what we currently know, highlight important gaps in our knowledge, and suggest next steps for the field, while focusing on three fundamental questions: What are FDB and how do they degrade feathers? How prevalent are FDB on birds? And finally, how can FDB and birds influence one another?

FEATHER-DEGRADING BACTERIA: A NEW FRONTIER IN AVIAN AND HOST–PARASITE RESEARCH?