Abstract
The great frigatebird, Fregata minor, is a widely distributed seabird native to the Galápagos archipelago. Haematology and blood chemistry parameters have been published for this species but not from the San Cristóbal and North Seymour great frigatebird breeding colonies. Analyses were run on blood samples drawn from 25 great frigatebirds captured by hand at their nests at Punta Pitt on San Cristóbal Island and 30 birds on North Seymour Island, Galápagos Islands. A portable blood analyser (iSTAT) was used to obtain near immediate field results for pH, pO2, pCO2, TCO2, HCO3- , haematocrit (Hct), haemoglobin (Hb), sodium (Na), potassium (K), chloride (Cl), ionized calcium (iCa), creatinine, urea nitrogen, anion gap and glucose. Blood lactate was measured using a portable Lactate Plus™ analyser. Average heart rate, respiratory rate, body weight, body temperature, biochemistry and haematology parameters were comparable to healthy individuals of other Fregatidae. The reported results provide baseline data that can be used for comparisons among populations and in detecting changes in health status among Galápagos great frigatebirds.
Highlights
The great frigatebird (Fregata minor) is a member of the Suliformes in the family Fregatidae and is one of the most widely distributed members of the five-species family; it occurs throughout the Galápagos archipelago (Valle et al, 2006; Padilla et al, 2006)
Haematology and blood chemistry parameters have been published for this species but not from the San Cristóbal and North Seymour great frigatebird breeding colonies
Analyses were run on blood samples drawn from 25 great frigatebirds captured by hand at their nests at Punta Pitt on San Cristóbal Island and 30 birds on North Seymour Island, Galápagos Islands
Summary
The great frigatebird (Fregata minor) is a member of the Suliformes in the family Fregatidae and is one of the most widely distributed members of the five-species family; it occurs throughout the Galápagos archipelago (Valle et al, 2006; Padilla et al, 2006). While there are published reports on haematology and blood chemistry values for this species (Work, 1996; Padilla et al, 2006) ours is the first from San Cristóbal Island and Seymour Norte, and only the second from the Galápagos archipelago. The iSTAT was selected for a variety of reasons. It is very portable, sturdy and easy to use in the field. The veterinary literature is rich with studies that have utilized the iSTAT for avian health assessment from a variety of species (Steinmetz et al, 2007; Harms and Harms, 2012; Rettenmund et al, 2014; Harter et al, 2015; Ratliff et al, 2014, 2017)
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