Helminth fauna of birds of prey (Strigiformes: Strigidae, Tytonidae) in the Non-Black Earth Region of the Russian Federation

Abstract

The purpose of the research is studying helminths of carnivorous birds of the order of owls (Strigiformes) found in the Non-Black Earth Region of the Russian Federation.Materials and methods. From 2015 to 2020, complete helminthological dissections were carried out by the Skryabin method for 72 birds of the order of owls after their spontaneous death: 8 specimens of the short-eared owl Asio flammeus, 6 specimens of the Ural owl Strix uralensis, 4 specimens of the little owl Athene noctua, 9 specimens of the barn owl Tyto alba, 19 specimens of the tawny owl S. aluco, and 26 specimens of the long-eared owl A. otus. The study material was provided by rehabilitation centers and veterinary clinics in Moscow City and the Moscow, Tula and Kaluga regions. The helminths were fixed according to generally accepted methods; the species was identified taking into account specific morphological characters.Results and discussion. Total infection rate in owls was 89.9%. All studied birds were found to have mixed infections with two or more types of helminths. We identified 15 helminth species including 3 species of trematodes (Neodiplostomum attenuatum, Strigea falconis, S. strigis), 2 species of cestodes (Cladotaenia globifera, Paruterina candelabraria), 9 species of nematodes (Syngamus trachea, Cyrnea leptoptera, Microtetrameres inermis, Synhimantus laticeps, Porrocaecum depressum, P. spirale, Capillaria tenuissima, Baruscapillaria falconis, and Capillaria sp.) and 1 acanthocephalian species (Centrorhynchus aluconis). For the first time, new hosts were identified for the following helminth species: the barn owl, short-eared owl and little owl for the trematode N. attenuatum, the Ural owl and little owl for S. falconis, the long-eared owl for the nematode S. trachea, the short-eared owl and tawny owl for C. leptoptera, and the tawny owl for M. inermis.