Helminth community structure study on urban and forest blackbird (Turdus merula L.) populations in relation to seasonal bird migration on the south Baltic Sea coast (NW Poland)

Abstract

SummaryThe aim of the study was to compare helminth community structure of urban and forest blackbird populations. 24 helminth species in 98 blackbirds were found. Higher species richness was noted in the forest population of the blackbird (23 species) in comparison to the urban population (14 species). The response of the helminth fauna to a synanthropic habitat, contrary to a natural habitat, consists in a significant reduction in most parasitological parameters. Higher species richness has been noted in spring (17 species) than in autumn (14 species). Urban habitat, in contrast to the forest, may cause changes in the abundance of helminth communities in male and female blackbirds. The helminth fauna of nestlings, in spite of low species richness is characterized by a higher prevalence and intensity of infection in comparison to blackbirds feeding on their own. Helminth fauna of the blackbird seems to be a good indicator of environmental quality.

Nematode parasite diversity in birds: the role of host ecology, life history and migration

“…; Rząd et al . ). Based on these studies and our current results, it is clear that diet and habitat use play key roles in determining the composition of nematode communities within many birds.…”

“…Rząd et al . () found that blackbirds from forest habitats harbour a richer community of parasitic worms than those from urban environments.…”

External and intestinal parasites of the Austral thrush Turdus falcklandii (Aves, Turdidae) in central Chile

“…Plagiorhyinchus cylindraceus has been found in bird and mammal of various families: Sturnidae in Argentina (VALENTE et al, 2014), Scolopacidae in South Africa (AMIN et al, 1999), Procyonidae and Scolopacidae in Canada (CHING et al, 2000;DIDYK et al, 2007), Picidae, Mimidae, Turdidae, Emberizidae, Passerellidae, Anatidae, Phasianidae, Corvidae, Sturnidae, Icteridae, Didelphidae, and Soricidae in the United States (VAN CLEAVE, 1918;JONES, 1928;CUVILLIER, 1934;VAN CLEAVE, 1942;CHANDLER & RAUSCH, 1949;HUNTER & QUAY, 1953;SCHMIDT & OLSEN, 1964;ELTZROTH et al, 1980;MCDONALD, 1988;COADY & NICKOL, 2000;CARLETON et al, 2012;RICHARDSON, 2013), Strigiformes in Spain (FERRER et al, 2004), Erinaceidae in Czech Republic (PFÄFFLE et al, 2014), Turdidae and Sturnidae in Bulgaria (DIMITROVA et al, 2000), Sturnidae in Ukraine (LISITSYNA, 2010), Erinaceidae in United Kingdom and Germany (SKUBALLA et al, 2010), Turdidae in Poland (RZĄD et al, 2014), Charadriidae, Rallidae, Turdidae, Sturnidae, Corvidae, Monarchidae, Artamidae, Threskiornithidae, Peramelidae, Muridae, Canidae, Macropodidae, Dasyuridae, and Potoroidae in Australia (EDMONDS, 1989;SMALES, 2002), Erinaceidae in New Zealand (SKUBALLA et al, 2010), and Leiothrichidae, Turdidae, and Muscicapidae in Taiwan (SCHMIDT & KUNTZ, 1966). Infections in small mammals such as shrews are apparently dead ends since the parasites do not mature and passerines such as thrushes are unlikely to ingest these mammals.…”

The first report of Morishitium vagum (Trematoda: Cyclocoelidae) in Turdus merula in Iran

“…The reported valid species from this bird include Morishitium elongatum (Harrah 1921), Morishitium petrowi (Oganesov 1959) and Cyclocoelum polonicum (Machalska 1980) (Machalska, 1980;Rząd et al, 2014;Norman & Vasyl, 2014). Therefore, this paper is the fi rst report of M. vagum in Turdus merula in the word.…”