Blood supply and arteriography of the pelvic limb of the Southern caracara (Caracara plancus) and great egret (Ardea alba)

Abstract

Birds of prey have carnivorous habits, and they have specialized anatomical and physiological characteristics that give them great hunting capacity (Sick, 1997). These characteristics vary depending on the lifestyle of the bird (Tully, Dorrestein, & Jones, 2000). The caracara (Caracara plancus) is a predatory bird that belongs to the Daptriidae Family, which belongs in the Falconiform Order (Cubas, Silva, & Catão-Dias, 2014). It is an opportunistic bird that has omnivorous habits (Sick, 1997), feeds mainly on carrion and arthropods, but it also hunts live prey, such as rodents and lagomorphs (Travaini, Donazar, Ceballos, & Hiraldo, 2001). This species inhabits open fields, occurring from Florida to South America (Sick, 1997). The great egret (Ardea alba) is a pelecaniform bird that belongs to Ardeidae Family (Cubas et al., 2014). They have long pelvic limbs and toes, a thin neck and a long and pointed beak (Sick, 1997). Generally, there is no evident sexual dimorphism and there is a distinction in plumage between young and adults (Cubas et al., 2014). Their diet includes fish, insects, mollusks, crustaceans, amphibians and reptiles

Blood Vessel Topography of the Feet in Selected Species of Birds of Prey and Owls

“…In some cases, vessels were not completely filled with injection mass and thus, their origin or destination could not be identified clearly. This may be the reason why in several previous studies, the smaller arteries, i.e., the lateral artery of toe I and the medial artery of toe II, were not found [ 21 , 22 , 24 ]. Although Manno [ 21 ] and Midtgård [ 22 ] used a different nomenclature, their representations depicting the large arteries showed the same origin for the me_DA1, la_DA1, and me_DA2 in falcon and owl species, as described by us.…”

“…This is in accordance with findings in the domestic duck ( Anas platyrhynchos domesticus ) [ 36 ] and the domestic goose ( Anser anser domesticus ) [ 37 , 38 ]; however, only one digital artery supplying the first toe was found in these species. In the southern caracara, belonging to the family Falconidae , digital arteries were found medially on the first toe, and “axially” between the second and third as well as between the third and fourth toes [ 24 ]. This is similar to the distribution pattern found in the domestic chicken, in which one artery per toe was present medially at toe I and IV as well as laterally at toe II and III, and, in addition, a small opposite artery on the medial side of toe III [ 29 , 30 ].…”

“…Thus, we were able to collect at least six carcasses from each species for subsequent examination. Like several other researchers, e.g., [4,24,29], we used colored latex to fill either arteries or veins, with the advantage that latex does not leak after hardening and remains flexible, reducing the risk of breaking during dissection. In addition, we performed micro-computed tomography scans after the injection of contrast medium, allowing a 3D visualization of the blood vessel topography, even of the intraosseous courses of the vessels.…”

“…The general architecture of the vascular system of the feet is already known in some species of birds of prey and owls [4,[20][21][22][23][24][25]. Previous studies showed that the main supply to the foot was via dorsal metatarsal arteries [4,[20][21][22][23][24][25] and the main drainage of the foot was provided by a strong medial metatarsal vein [22,25].…”

“…The general architecture of the vascular system of the feet is already known in some species of birds of prey and owls [4,[20][21][22][23][24][25]. Previous studies showed that the main supply to the foot was via dorsal metatarsal arteries [4,[20][21][22][23][24][25] and the main drainage of the foot was provided by a strong medial metatarsal vein [22,25]. However, interspecific variations in the branching pattern of pedal blood vessels have not been compared in detail in birds of prey and owls before.…”