Blood parasites in passerine birds in Slovakian East Carpathians

Wild birds in two adjacent locations of the Bukovske Vrchy Hills in the East Carpathians (Slovakia) were investigated for blood parasites in the post-breeding period. In 2001, 595 birds were investigated at Ruske. In 2003, 289 birds were investigated in Kurnikow Beskid. In Ruske, parasites of the genera Haemoproleus, Leucocytozoon and Plasmodium were found at prevalences of 21 %, 6 % and 0.5 %, respectively. In Kurnikow Beskid, the prevalences of infections with the parasites of genera Hoemoproteus, Leucocytozoon and Trypanosoma were 17 %, 0.7 % and 0.3 %, respectively. Parasite species found in blood smears of the birds included Haemoproteus attenuatus, H. balmorah, H. belopolskyi, H.firingillae, H. picae, H. Zosteropis, Leucocytozoon dubreuili, L. fringillinarum, L. majoris and occasionally also Plasmodium sp. and Trypanosoma sp. Except for H. fringillae, all found species of hematozoa are priority findings for Carpathians. This is the first report of finding of H. zosteropis in Hippolais icterina.