Endemic Bird Species Research Articles

Urban ecological network

Protected Areas (PAs) have been implemented to preserve the remnants of native vegetation, playing a fundamental role in biodiversity conservation. For PAs to be potentially efficient, they must connect to other PAs and/or other remnants in the anthropic landscape, with the matrix permeability being an imperative factor in the dispersion of species, seeds, and pollens. The study's objective was to delineate an ecological network of protected areas inserted in an urban landscape. Geoprocessing and Graph Theory techniques were used to assess functional connectivity between PAs. The focus species used were forest birds, which are endemic to the Atlantic Forest. The information about dispersion capabilities came from the consultation of experts and resulted in a resistance surface. The dispersion model simulation in the landscape resulted in the least-cost path (LCP) and designed the urban ecological network. The LPC was characterized considering the buffer equal to 100m width. The resistance values for each land-use/land-cover, representing endemic bird species of the Atlantic Forest, were equal to one for the native forest located within the PAs. The LCPs were designed by 136 connectors, mostly by native forest (61.3%) and anthropic grasslands (21%). The riparian forests are an essential part of the LCP. The promotion of connectivity between PAs in an anthropic landscape needs the effectiveness of ecological restoration and/or conservation actions and matrix permeability analysis. The connection between PAs by ecological networks must be implemented as a conservation strategy in cities concerning the current era of urban expansion.

A case for better international protection of the Sumatran Laughingthrush (Garrulax bicolor)

The Sumatran Laughingthrush (Garrulax bicolor) is an island endemic bird species from Indonesia. Its populations have rapidly decreased over the last decades and where the species was once widespread, only fragmented populations now remain. The species is protected on a national level and any capture or trade of wild individuals is strictly prohibited. Yet, illegal domestic trade continues to threaten the survival of this species. Less is known about the international trade in this species. Here, we investigate Sumatran Laughingthrush trade in the European Union (EU). We opportunistically observed 19 different websites from 2018 to 2020 and visited the Zwolle Bird Market in the Netherlands on four occasions in the same period. We found a minimum of 45 Sumatran Laughingthrushes for sale or in the possession of at least 20 dealers and/or hobbyists in Europe. At least some of these birds in private collections are likely to be, or have originated from, illegally imported wild individuals. In addition to the conservation implications of the trade in wild individuals, a potential increase in captive bred individuals on the international market in the future could hinder effective law enforcement, due to the difficulties of distinguishing between wild-caught and captive bred individuals. It is therefore essential to counter commercial captive breeding and trade while it is still in its infancy. We recommend that the EU lists this species in Annex A of the EU wildlife trade regulations and urge the Government of Indonesia to list the Sumatran Laughingthrush in CITES Appendix III, to assist in preventing international trade in illegally-sourced Sumatran Laughingthrushes globally.

Insights for protection of high species richness areas for the conservation of Mesoamerican endemic birds

AbstractAimTo assess the representativeness values of Mesoamerican endemic birds within the current network of protected areas (PAs) to determine high‐priority and complementary conservation areas to maximize the long‐term protection of species.LocationFrom central Mexico to southern Panama.MethodsWe selected 180 bird species that are geographically restricted to Mesoamerica and estimated their potential ranges using species distribution models. Then, using two different removal rules in ZONATION software, we assessed the species’ representativeness levels within the current PA network. We also defined forest remnants that could be used to strategically expand PAs (to reach Aichi biodiversity targets) and maximize the species protection, explicitly considering anthropic pressures.ResultsCurrent PAs cover ~13% of the land area of Mesoamerica, representing an average of ~19% of the total potential distribution for the endemic bird species considered. We also observed that there is <30% overlap between current PAs and the priority areas we define. Our prioritization analyses showed that strategically increasing protection coverage to 17%, as stipulated in the Aichi targets, would substantially increase the representativeness values of PAs (regardless of the removal rule used) and would increase the range by >35% for all species and >29% for threatened species. The consensus priority conservation areas identified were mainly distributed in Costa Rica (~48%), Mexico (~28%), and Panama (~10%).Main conclusionsConsistent with the global picture, Mesoamerican PAs showed low representativeness of their vulnerable endemic avifauna; therefore, well‐informed decisions to guide conservation strategies are imperative. We provide insights about where future conservation efforts should focus to accomplish a representative and well‐connected regional PA network.

THE DIVERSITY OF BIRDS AND ATTRACTIVE BIRDS AS AVITOURISM OBJECTS IN GUNUNG BROMO UNIVERSITY FOREST, KARANGANYAR, CENTRAL JAVA

The Gunung Bromo University Forest is a former tourism area which must be revitalized, one of them is to be an avitourism object. However, the information of birds diversity is still lacking. The research aimed to determine bird diversity and attractive birds as avitourism object in Gunung Bromo University Forest. The bird observation was con-ducted using the encounter rates method in six line transects. The quantitative and qualitative descriptive analysis was used to describe bird diversity and attractive birds as avitourism objects. The research resulted 44 species of birds belong to 26 families were found in the area. The diversity of birds belongs to moderate category with Shannon-Wiener Index of 2.75. The relative abundance of birds were categorized into one species of abundant, seven species of common, eight species of frequent, and 28 species of uncommon. Attractive birds in Gunung Bromo University Forest as avitourism object were three species of raptor, six species of endemic birds, five species of high conservation value birds, and other attractive birds such as colorful birds and songbirds. The bird community in Gunung Bromo University Forest has the potential as an object of avitourism with some opportunities and obstacles.

Determination of Burdur Lake’s areal change in upcoming years using geographic information systems and the artificial neural network method

Burdur Lake is a closed basin lake situated between the provinces of Burdur and Isparta that was formed as a result of the tectonic depression filling with water. It is Turkey’s seventh largest lake in terms of area and the third largest among salt lakes. Due to the nature of the lake water, a limited number of aquatic creatures live in this lake, and the lake also has international significance in terms of endemic bird species. The water level in Burdur Lake, which is very important in terms of the population, agriculture, animal husbandry, and endemic plant species in the region, has been dropping since 1971. The lake relies on rains, seasonal and continuous streams, and groundwater as sources. The dams built on streams feeding the lake are not sufficient as sources due to agricultural activities and wells around the lake. In this study, the changes in the lake area were determined with the geographic information systems program using the satellite images between 1984 and 2016. The area changes for the lake area from 2020 to 2040 were determined with the artificial neural network program, using the average temperature, relative humidity, and precipitation data from the Burdur meteorology station for the same years as input data and the changes in the lake area as output data. In present study, it was predicted that the lake will shrink to approximately 87.2 km2 by 2040 if the current conditions continue. This shows that Burdur Lake, which is a salty lake, will be more saline, and this situation will affect the habitat negatively. This result, which was revealed by using the geographic information systems and artificial neural network methods together, is intended to be a guide for local administrations and planners in the region.

Population structure of a nest parasite of Darwin’s finches within its native and invasive ranges

Invasive species are one of the greatest threats to biodiversity, with endemic species on islands being at particular risk. Management programs can help to minimize these impacts, but such programs are most successful when they are well-informed. In the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, a recently introduced avian parasitic fly, Philornis downsi, has had strong negative effects on the survival of multiple endemic bird species, including several species of Darwin’s finches. The fly now populates most of the major islands within the Archipelago and the need to better understand the population structure and connectivity patterns of this invasive fly has become increasingly apparent as various management efforts are being considered. Here, we use genomic and phylogenetic approaches to estimate population structure and connectivity for P. downsi collected from five islands within the Galapagos Islands and several sites in mainland Ecuador, which is the presumptive origin of the invasive population. Genomic data showed very little genetic differentiation between island populations of P. downsi relative to the mainland. Phylogenetic analyses, which used more conservative genetic markers than the genomics approach, showed that island and mainland populations of flies were highly related. Our study provides some of the first results using genetic data to quantify differentiation among mainland and island populations of P. downsi. In addition, our study found very little genetic differentiation between island populations of flies, suggesting that there may be considerable gene flow among islands; however, further sampling is needed to determine the extent to which this could be occurring. As management techniques aimed at controlling the impact of this parasite on endemic bird populations are being considered, our study provides important insights into the history of P. downsi’s invasion to the Galapagos Islands and current population connectivity patterns.

Molecular diversity and coalescent species delimitation of avian haemosporidian parasites in an endemic bird species of South America.

Haemoproteus spp. and Plasmodium spp. are blood parasites that occur in birds worldwide. Identifying the species within this group is complex, especially in wild birds that present low parasitemia when captured, making morphological identification very difficult. Thus, the use of alternative tools to identify species may be useful in the elucidation of the distribution of parasites that circulate in bird populations. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence and parasitemia of the genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus in Tachyphonus coronatus in the Atlantic Forest, Brazil, and to evaluate the molecular diversity, geographic distribution, and specificity of these parasites based on coalescent species delimitation methods. Microscopic analysis, PCR, cyt b gene sequencing, phylogenetic analysis and coalescent species delimitation using single-locus algorithms were performed (Poisson tree process (PTP) and multi-rate Poisson tree process (MPTP) methods). The analyses were performed in 117 avian host individuals. The prevalence was 55.5% for Plasmodium and 1.7% for Haemoproteus, with a mean parasitemia of 0.06%. Twenty-five Plasmodium and two Haemoproteus lineages were recovered. The MPTP method recovered seven different evolutionarily significant units (ESUs) of Plasmodium and one of Haemoproteus, whereas PTP presented fourteen ESUs of Plasmodium and one of Haemoproteus. The MPTP was more consistent with current taxonomy, while PTP overestimated the number of lineages. These ESUs are widely distributed and have already been found in 22 orders of birds that, all together, inhabit every continent, except Antarctica. The computational methods of species delimitation proved to be effective in cases where the classification of Haemosporida based just on morphology is insufficient.

Bird diversity and endemism along a land‐use gradient in Madagascar: The conservation value of vanilla agroforests

AbstractLand‐use change is the most important driver of biodiversity loss worldwide and particularly so in the tropics, where natural habitats are transformed into large‐scale monocultures or heterogeneous landscape mosaics of largely unknown conservation value. Using birds as an indicator taxon, we evaluated the conservation value of a landscape mosaic in northeastern Madagascar, a biodiversity hotspot and the center of global vanilla production. We assessed bird species richness and composition by conducting point counts across seven prevalent land‐use types (forest‐ and fallow‐derived vanilla agroforests, woody and herbaceous fallow that are part of a shifting cultivation system, rice paddy, forest fragment and contiguous old‐growth forest). We find that old‐growth forest had the highest species richness, driven by a high share of endemics. Species richness and community composition in forest‐derived vanilla agroforest were similar to forest fragment, whereas fallow‐derived vanilla agroforest was most comparable to woody fallow. The open land‐use types herbaceous fallow and rice paddy had fewest species. Across forest fragments, vanilla agroforests, and woody fallows, endemic bird species richness was positively correlated to landscape‐scale forest cover. We conclude that both fallow‐ and forest‐derived vanilla agroforests play an important but contrasting role for bird conservation: Fallow‐derived agroforests are less valuable but take fallow land out of the shifting cultivation cycle, possibly preventing further degradation. Conversely, forest‐derived agroforests contribute to forest degradation but may avoid total loss of tree cover from forest fragments. Considering the land‐use history of agroforests may thus be a promising avenue for future research beyond the case of vanilla.Abstract in Malagasay is available with online material

Spatial epidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence in sentinel feral chickens (Gallus gallus) in Kaua‘i, Hawai‘i

Toxoplasma gondii is a globally prevalent coccidian parasite that fatally infects a wide range of endangered avian and mammalian hosts in Hawai‘i including the Hawaiian Monk Seal (llio holo I ka uaua; Monachus schauinslandi), Hawaiian Goose (Nēnē; Branta sandvicensis) and Hawaiian Crow (‘Alalā; Corvus hawaiiensis). Thus, identifying environmental factors that predict or impact T. gondii exposure is important for mitigating disease risks. The island of Kaua‘i is a good model system to study spatial and environmental covariates of T. gondii prevalence due to (1) high landscape heterogeneity spanning a small geographical area, (2) the presence of an ideal sentinel species, the feral chicken (Gallus gallus), and (3) recent evidence that T. gondii contributes to local declines of Hawai‘i’s endemic bird and mammal species. Despite these compelling opportunities, little is known about the prevalence or distribution of T. gondii in Hawai‘i. In this study, 294 Kaua‘i feral chickens were tested for T. gondii using ELISA IgG immunoassays, of which 117 chickens (39.8%) tested seropositive – indicating infection with the parasite – and nearly every sampled site contained chickens with positive seroprevalence. Prevalence varied among the 34 sampled localities and was significantly, positively correlated with proximity to the coast. These findings reveal that T. gondii is prevalent across Kaua‘i. Furthermore, this variability offers insight to the factors that might predict T. gondii seropositivity across the landscape, and likewise predict exposure risks for endangered wildlife.

The fate of endemic birds of eastern Brazilian mountaintops in the face of climate change

Climate change affects biodiversity in various ways but not linearly. Mountaintop species and ecosystems are expected to experience the strongest impacts of climate change. Lower tolerances to changes in habitat and decreased available surface area with increasing elevation should lead to smaller ranges and even extinctions of endemic species living on mountaintops. Thus, the potential impacts of climate change must be understood in order to achieve sound and long-lasting conservation and management of mountaintops. We evaluated the potential impacts of climate change on the distribution and conservation status of ten endemic bird species of eastern Brazil mountaintops based on ecological niche models. The models predicted a gradual reduction of suitable area for all species with a projected contraction of up to 94%, upwards shifts from 1039 to 1470m in elevation, and range shifts from 7 to 373km for 2070. Five groups of mountainous regions are highlighted as crucial for the current conservation of endemic birds. If these projections materialize, nine species of birds should be recognized as being under some level of threat. To diminish these effects, public policies and land conversion at local and regional scales and global reduction of greenhouse gas emissions are urgently needed.

Wildlife assessment of the Chandragiri hills, Kathmandu: Potentiality for ecotourism

Wildlife assessments can provide crucial information regarding species richness, relative abundance and spatial, temporal, and ecological information on wildlife habitat associations. The assessment’s information can in turn be used for developing management policies including for establishing touristic zones. We investigated wildlife occurrences in the Chandragiri Hills, Kathmandu Nepal from 2015-2019 to provide baseline data to inform the potential sites for ecotourism. During the study period, we recorded 30 mammal species, 199 bird species, 34 herpetofauna species and 77 butterfly species. The area harbors three globally and six nationally threatened mammal species, two globally and seven nationally threatened with one endemic bird species, one globally and nationally threatened herpetofauna, and one nationally threatened butterfly species. We also explored four potential hiking routes for observing wildlife and providing scenic views of the Himalayan range and Kathmandu city. Therefore, we expect Chandragiri Hills can become one of the hot spot for tourists to observe both common and threatened wildlife species in Nepal.

Status and distribution of the Algerian Nuthatch’s population (Sitta ledanti Vielliard, 1976) in the Tamentout forest (north-eastern Algeria)

The Algerian Nuthatch ( Sitta ledanti) is the only endemic bird species in Algeria. It is located in the Kabylia of Babors (north-eastern Algeria). It is classified as an endangered species by IUCN and its populations are decreasing. In this study, we are interested in the inventory of the number of Sitta ledanti’s individuals in the Tamentout forest, carried out by the EFP method along line-transect, during the 2019’s breeding period. It turned out that this forest contains the largest population ever recorded. It is estimated at 187 individuals for an area of 9688 ha. The Tamentout forest is under severe human pressure from adjoining houses, including illegal logging and overgrazing, causing disturbance of the Algerian Nuthatch’s habitat and reduction of its distribution area.

Effect of an introduced parasite in natural and anthropogenic habitats on the breeding success of the endemic little vermilion flycatcher Pyrocephalus nanus in the Galápagos

In the Galápagos Islands many endemic bird species, including the emblematic Darwin's finches, show significant declines in population size. The endemic little vermilion flycatcher Pyrocephalus nanus, classified as vulnerable with high extinction risk, is strongly declining and broods regularly fail. We investigated multiple causes for breeding failure by comparing breeding success, infestation intensity by the hematophagous larvae of the introduced parasitic fly Philornis downsi, predation, parental food provisioning rate and prey attack rates as indicators of food availability at three study sites differing in anthropogenic habitat alterations: Alcedo on Isabela Island with its pristine habitat remote from human settlements, El Cura, also on Isabela Island but dominated by farmland, and Mina Roja on Santa Cruz Island, a site highly altered by introduced invasive plant species, mainly the blackberry. To test for the causal role of parasitism, we reduced the number of P. downsi larvae in half the nests at each site on Isabela Island, and used the other nests as control. When infestation intensity was experimentally reduced, both breeding success and food provisioning rates increased significantly in El Cura, but not in Alcedo, where breeding success and food provisioning rates were overall higher and infestation intensity lower than in El Cura. In the very small population of the little vermilion flycatcher in Mina Roja most nests were abandoned during the incubation phase before nests were infested by P. downsi. Mammalian predation played a minor role in brood loss at all three study sites. Our experimental study demonstrates that the recently introduced parasitic fly significantly affects breeding success of an endangered endemic bird species, and suggests that the effects are modulated by natural levels of P. downsi infestation and habitat‐related rates of food provisioning. Conservation measures should include P. downsi control combined with creating and maintaining open foraging areas.

Climate change and bird extinctions in the Amazon

In recent years, carbon dioxide emissions have been potentiated by several anthropogenic processes that culminate in climate change, which in turn directly threatens biodiversity and the resilience of natural ecosystems. Tropical rainforests are among the most impacted biological realms. The Belém endemism center, which is one of the several endemism centers in Amazon, is located in the most affected area within the so-called “Deforestation Arc.” Moreover, this region harbors a high concentration of Amazonian endangered bird species, of which 56% of them are considered to be under the threat of extinction. In this work, we sought to evaluate the current and future impacts of both climate change and deforestation on the distribution of endemic birds in the Belém Area of Endemism (BEA). Thus, we generated species distribution models for the 16 endemic bird species considering the current and two future gas emission scenarios (optimistic and pessimistic). We also evaluated climate change impacts on these birds in three different dispersal contexts. Our results indicate that BAE, the endemic taxa will lose an average of 73% of suitable areas by 2050. At least six of these birds species will have less than 10% or no future suitable habitat in all emission scenarios. One of the main mechanisms used to mitigate the impacts of climate change on these species in the near future is to assess the current system of protected areas. It is necessary to ensure that these areas will continue being effective in conserving these species even under climate change. The “Gurupi Mosaic” and the “Rio-Capim” watershed are areas of great importance because they are considered climate refuges according to our study. Thus, conservation efforts should be directed to the maintenance and preservation of these two large remnants of vegetation in addition to creating ecological corridors between them.

The changes in suitable habitats for 114 endemic bird species in China during climate warming will depend on the probability

Quantifying the uncertainty and risk of reducing distribution ranges of the birds in a shifting climate is crucial regarding decision-making on the adaptation of biodiversity to climate warming. By using the representative concentration pathway scenarios of changing climate, fuzzy set classifications, and Monte Carlo techniques, an investigation of the uncertainty and risk of shifting ranges for 114 endemic birds in China from climate change was conducted. In response to non-stochastic changing climate conditions, the abundance of 114 species would increase in some locations of western and northeastern China and would decline in some sites of southeastern, eastern, northern, and central China; approximately 40–60 species would lose less than 20% or 20–40% of their current suitable areas, and about 110 species would exhibit distributions covering more than 80% of their total ranges. For stochastic changing climate scenarios, the number of the birds that lost distinct extents of the suitable ranges decreased with enhancing the likelihood; with a probability of beyond 0.6, the number of the birds that lost less than 20%, 20–40%, 40–60%, 60–80%, and greater than 80% of their present ranges was approximately 13–20, 10–22, 1–8, 1–3, and 5–8, respectively, and the number of the birds that inhabited less than 20%, 20–40%, 40–60%, 60–80%, and over 80% of their all suitable ranges was approximately 7–10, 15–25, 6–11, 1–4, and 26–30, respectively. Approximately 36 species of 114 endemic bird species will be posed extinction risk by climate warming if without any adaptation measures.

Embryo Microinjection Techniques for Efficient Site-Specific Mutagenesis in Culex quinquefasciatus.

Culex quinquefasciatus is a vector of a diverse range of vector-borne diseases such as avian malaria, West Nile virus (WNV), Japanese encephalitis, Eastern equine encephalitis, lymphatic filariasis, and Saint Louis encephalitis. Notably, avian malaria has played a major role in the extinction of numerous endemic island bird species, while WNV has become an important vector-borne disease in the United States. To gain further insight into C. quinquefasciatus biology and expand their genetic control toolbox, we need to develop more efficient and affordable methods for genome engineering in this species. However, some biological traits unique to Culex mosquitoes, particularly their egg rafts, have made it difficult to perform microinjection procedures required for genome engineering. To address these challenges, we have developed an optimized embryo microinjection protocol that focuses on mitigating the technical obstacles associated with the unique characteristics of Culex mosquitoes. These procedures demonstrate optimized methods for egg collection, egg raft separation and other handling procedures essential for successful microinjection in C. quinquefasciatus. When coupled with the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology, these procedures allow us to achieve site-specific, efficient and heritable germline mutations, which are required to perform advanced genome engineering and develop genetic control technologies in this important, but currently understudied, disease vector.

Diversity and threats to endemic birds in the Wallacean region, Indonesia

Wallacean region, which covers Sulawesi and its satellite islands, Lesser Sunda islands, and Maluku islands, has the richest endemic birds. It contributes 70.1% (366 out of 510) of the total Indonesian endemic bird species. Sulawesi and its satellite islands have the highest number of endemic species (150) followed by the Lesser Sunda Islands (126) and Maluku islands (90). On the other hand, many species in the region are threatened. The number of critically endangered (CR) and endangered (EN) in Sulawesi (7 and 10 species) is higher than Maluku (2 and 4 species) or Lesser Sunda (1 and 6 species). There are two types of threats: direct and indirect threats. Direct threats can be caused by the biological character of the species such as low reproductive rate, long-term parental care; high utilization i.e. hunt (egg, nestling, adult): consumption, trade (pet, hobbies and other uses); and natural predation. Indirect threats include habitat loss, fragmented forest, land conversion, and restricted range because of requiring a very specific habitat type. Although Indonesian wildlife including some endemic birds has been protected by law (P.106/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/12/2018), illegal trade has been the most important threat. Recent illegal bird trade was recorded from East Java in 2018 and 2019. Confiscated birds were parrots and hornbill from the Wallacean region and Papua, though all of those species are protected.

Genetic differentiation in Sichuan jay (Perisoreus internigrans) and its sibling species Siberian jay (P. infaustus)

The Pleistocene ice age and recent forest fragmentation have both played a significant role in shaping the population genetic variation of boreal coniferous species in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) and Eurasian coniferous forests. The Sichuan jay is one of the least know endemic bird species in QTP coniferous forests in western China while its sibling species, the Siberian Jay, is widespread within the coniferous forests in northern Eurasia. Here we used 11 microsatellite markers to assay genetic diversity across 58 Sichuan jay samples from China and 205 Siberian jay samples from Sweden and Russia. Results showed three distinct genetic clusters from the Sichuan jay sampling. Furthermore, the pair-wise FST values indicated high genetic differentiation not only among the two species but also between Swedish and Russian Siberian jay populations. What is more, a pattern of isolation by distance was found among the analyzed populations. Our study suggests that targeted habitat restoration in fragmented forests and more genetic work is urgently needed for conservation of the Sichuan jay.

Especies de aves en riesgo en el bosque mesófilo de montaña en cinco AICA de la Sierra Madre Oriental, México

Para el bosque mesófilo de montaña en México se ha sugerido la presencia de 125 especies de aves que se encuentran en riesgo o son endémicas. Esas aves requieren ser conservadas. En un tiempo de defaunación mundial, y de reducción de estos bosques, es importante determinar qué especies de aves aún habitan en este ecosistema. Del bosque mesófilo localizado en la Sierra Madre Oriental de México no se han publicado datos recientes de campo que indiquen su presencia. En este análisis reportamos los registros de especies de aves en riesgo realizados en 2016 en cinco Áreas Importantes para la Conservación de las Aves con bosque mesófilo de montaña (Sierra Gorda, Tlanchinol, Huayacocotla, Cuetzalan y Río Metlac) ubicadas en cuatro estados de México (Querétaro, Hidalgo, Veracruz y Puebla). En total registramos 60 especies de aves (48%) de las 125, 29 son consideradas amenazadas a nivel nacional y 34 presentan algún tipo de endemismo. Seis de las especies están protegidas globalmente (Dendrortyx barbatus, Ara militaris, Contopus cooperi, Ridgwayia pinicola, Setophaga chrysoparia y Passerina ciris). Esta información puede servir como base para lograr su preservación y establecer monitoreos, estudios y acciones de conservación dirigidos a especies en las zonas de bosque mesófilo.

Haemoparasites in endemic and non-endemic passerine birds from central Mexico highlands.

Haemosporidian parasites of birds are found worldwide and include the genera Haemoproteus, Plasmodium and Leucocytozoon. Infection with haemosporidian parasites can affect host physical condition and reproductive success. The aim of this study was to identify the blood parasites and parasitaemia in endemic and non-endemic passerine birds from central Mexico highlands. This study included 157 passerines representing 29 species from 17 families. Overall, 30.6% (48/157) of the birds were infected with blood parasites. Of those, Haemoproteus spp. were found in 14.0% (n = 22), Leucocytozoon spp. 12.1% (n = 19) and microfilariae 0.6% (n = 1). Blood parasites were found in 71.4% (5/7) of endemic bird species and 45.4% (10/22) of non-endemic species. Medium to high parasitaemia (number of parasites/number erythrocytes) was observed in birds with infections of Haemoproteus spp. and Leucocytozoon spp. Co-infections 3.8% (n = 6) were observed in two species of endemic birds. This study contributes to the knowledge of haemoparasites in endemic and non-endemic passerine birds from central Mexico highlands. Additional investigation on the molecular identification of haemosporidian parasites, pathogenicity and health status of these birds is necessary.