The Parasite Fauna of the Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus) in Iceland.
We examined 46 Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus) carcasses from Iceland for parasites, including 29 first-year birds and 17 second-year birds and older. Endoparasites observed were the trematodes Cryptocotyle lingua (prevalence 8%), Cryptocotyle concavum (4%), and Strigea sp. (8%); the cestode Mesocestoides sp. (27%); and the nematodes Eucoleus contortus (76%) and Serratospiculum guttatum (7%). Ectoparasites included the astigmatan mite Dubininia accipitrina (47%), a mesostigmatan rhynonyssid mite (4%), the tick Ixodes caledonicus (20%), the mallophagans Degeeriella rufa (90%) and Nosopon lucidum (7%), the flea Ceratophyllus vagabundus (7%), and the louse fly Ornithomya chloropus (7%). Cryptocotyle lingua, C. concavum, S. guttatum, D. accipitrina, I. caledonicus, and N. lucidum are new host records. Of the five most common parasites (prevalence ≥ 20%) only Mesocestoides sp. showed a significant age relationship, being more prevalent in adult falcons (P = 0.021). Eucoleus contortus was also more prevalent in adults with marginal statistical significance (P = 0.058). Frounce, caused by E. contortus (possibly also by Trichomonas gallinae, which was not searched for in the survey) was highly prevalent (43%), but did not show a relationship with host age (P = 0.210). Birds with frounce were in poorer body condition than healthy birds (P = 0.015).
1  Department of Plant and Environmental Science, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
Nanna D
ND
Christensen
2  Laboratory of Parasitology, Institute for Experimental Pathology, Keldur, University of Iceland, Keldnavegur 3, IS-112 Reykjavík, Iceland.
Karl
K
Skirnisson
3  The Icelandic Institute of Natural History, Urriðaholtsstræti 4-6, IS-210 Garðabær, Iceland.
Ólafur K
ÓK
Nielsen
D000818:Animals; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D046093:Falconiformes / Q000469:parasitology*; D007055:Iceland / Q000453:epidemiology; D010273:Parasitic Diseases, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*
Body condition; Eucoleus contortus; ectoparasites; endoparasites