Prevalence and habitat preference of quill mites (Acari, Syringophilidae) parasitizing forest passerine birds in Poland

Authors:

• Maciej Konrad Skoracki,
• Jerzy Franciszek Michalik,
• Bożena Sikora

Abstract

We surveyed the prevalence of quill mites in wild passerines captured in Wielkopolski National Park, Poland. A total of 438 birds of 12 species were mist-netted during three consecutive spring seasons from 2006-2008. Eight bird species were infested with syringophilid mites: Erithacus rubecula (L.) (index of prevalence, IP = 16. 2%), Turdrus merula L. (IP = 22. 4%), T. philomelos Brehm (IP = 10. 5%), Fringilla coelebs L. (IP = 36. 2%), Coccothraustes coccothraustes (L.) (IP = 7. 4%), Sturnus vulgaris L. (IP = 53. 6%), Sylvia atricapilla (L.) (IP = 6. 1%) and Troglodytes troglodytes (L.) (IP = 7. 1%). In four cases, multiple infestation was observed, where one bird species was parasitized by 2-3 species of quill mites occupying separate niches in the plumage of the host. © 2010 Versita Warsaw and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.