Parasitic Lesions of the Alimentary System of Wild Birds of the Canary Islands

Abstract

Spain is one of the most biologically diverse countries in the European Union due to various factors such as its geographical position, its great climatic and the existence of islands. The Canary Islands are a place in which migratory bird species pass and feed during their intercontinental migratory movements. Altitude and the quality and diversity of the habitat are also factors that promote a much diverse species of birds inhabiting them. For all these reasons, the Canary Islands represent one of the hotspots of biodiversity of wildlife in Europe. A retrospective study was carried out with the material collected by the University Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA) in collaboration with the Red Canaria de Vigilancia Sanitaria de Fauna Silvestre. Gross necropsy examination was performed on each animal and histological samples were taken and routinely processed for analysis. In this study, thirteen animals with parasitic lesions of the Alimentary System were classified by organs and systems. The animals evaluated were from 8 different avian species including four Eurasian Stone-curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus), three Canarian houbaras (Chlamydotis undulata fuerteventurae), one Eleonora’s falcon (Falco eleonorae), one endemic subspecies of Long-eared owl (Asio otus canariensis), one Common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), one Cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis), one endemic subspecies of common buzzard (Buteo buteo insularum) and one Laurel pigeon (Columba junoniae). Gastritis (including proventriculus and ventriculus) caused by nematodes was the most frequent reported lesion. Lesions observed in the proventriculus and ventriculus of different species caused by nematodes varied in chronicity, starting as heterophilic gastritis, continuing as heterophilic granulomas in submucosa and muscle layer and progressing to histiocytic granuloma and calcified granuloma.