Lice, Flies, Mites, and Ticks on Raptors (Accipitriformes, Falconiformes and Strigiformes) in Rescue Centers in Central Italy

Riccardo Gherardi,Claudia D’Agostino,Stefania Perrucci

doi:10.3390/parasitologia1020008

Riccardo Gherardi, Claudia D’Agostino + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/parasitologia1020008

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Journal: Parasitologia	Publication Date: Apr 16, 2021
Citations: 1	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Istituto Superiore di Sanità, University of Pisa

Abstract

This study aims to assess the occurrence of external arthropods on deceased raptors in rescue centers in Tuscany, central Italy. The examined diurnal raptors include 17 common buzzards (Buteo buteo), two European honey buzzards (Pernis apivorus), seven sparrowhawks (Accipiter nisus), six common kestrels (Falco tinnunculus), a western osprey (Pandion haliaetus), and a peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus). Nocturnal raptors included seven barn owls (Tyto alba), ten tawny owls (Strix aluco), 22 little owls (Athene noctua) and two scops owls (Otus scops). The skin and the feathers of each animal were examined, and arthropods were collected, fixed, and microscopically identified. In 48 out of the 75 examined birds (64%), at least a single arthropod species was found. Identified arthropods included chewing lice (Degeeriella fulva, D. rufa, Colpocephalum turbinatum, C. apivorus, Nosopon lucidum, N. clayae, Craspedorrhyncus platystomus, Laemobothrion tinnunculi, Kurodaia subpachygaster, Strigiphilus cursitans), hippoboscid flies (Ornithomya avicularia), chigger and feather mites (Kramerella lunulata, K. lyra, Kramerella sp., Glaucalges attenuatus, Hieracolichus nisi, Hieracolichus sp., Neotrombicula autumnalis) and ticks (Haemaphysalis sp.). Most of the identified mite, fly and tick species are the first records in raptors in Italy. Moreover, this study presents the first record of Hieracolichus sp. and N. autumnalis mites in P. haliaetus and F. tinnunculus, respectively.

Highlights

This study showed a high prevalence of external arthropods in examined raptors, as 48 out of the 75 examined birds (64%) scored positive for at least one arthropod species
Out of the ten raptor species examined, eight species were found to be positive for the presence of external arthropods
External arthropods identified in this survey were previously reported in examined raptor species in different areas worldwide [1,2,5,8,25,46,47,48,49,61]

Summary

Introduction

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Arthropods associated with raptors include lice, mites, ticks, fleas, and flies [1,2,3,4,5]. Chewing lice and feather mites are frequently reported in raptors, which in most cases show no clinical signs [2,4,6,7,8]. Some raptor ectoparasites may cause severe damage to the feathers, feather loss, intense pruritus and consequent weakness, restlessness, self-induced lesions, and may become fatal to the host birds in more severe cases [1,5,7,9]

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