Prevalence of Hematozoan Parasites (Apicomplexa) in Some Common Passerine Birds (Passeriformes) from East-Central Oklahoma (General Notes) (Report‪)‬

Blood parasites (hematozoa) occur in the plasma (Trypanosoma) and within the blood cells (Plasmodium, Leucocytozoon and Haemoproteus) of a number of avian species. Most of these infections are likely benign in wild birds (Bennett et al 1988; Weatherhead & Bennett 1991; 1992), and occasionally pathogenic during stressful times (Atkinson & Van Riper 1991; Weatherhead & Bennett 1991). Furthermore, parasites may have some influence on sexual selection (Hamilton & Zuk 1982; Zuk 1991); however, this has yet to be resolved (Weatherhead 1990; Weatherhead et al. 1991; Seutin 1994; Scheuerlein & Ricklefs 2004). The distribution of blood parasites has been studied in many regions (e.g., Bernard & Bair 1986 in Vermont; Rodriguez & Matta 2001 in Colombia), while other areas have been less well studied or not at all. Parasitism of Oklahoma birds has been investigated in only one previous instance (Janovy 1963), and few data exist concerning the levels of infection or types of parasites involved. In this study, the incidence of infection is detailed for four common passeriform species, and also the types of blood parasites involved and their intensities.