Blanco Guillermo, Garijo-Toledo Maria M, González Del Barrio José Luis, Frías Óscar, Montoya Ayala Raymundo, Palacios-Martínez Iñigo
Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain.
Vector-Borne Diseases Research Group (ZOOVEC), Department of Animal Production and Health, Public Veterinary Health and Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, 46115 Valencia, Spain.
Pathogens. 2025 Sep 11;14(9):915. doi: 10.3390/pathogens14090915.
Social behaviour plays a crucial role in the dynamics of parasitic infections in wild bird populations. The red-billed chough (), a corvid undergoing notable population declines, shows contrasting social structures linked to reproductive status: non-breeding individuals aggregate in communal roosts during winter, whereas breeding pairs often maintain territorial pair-bonds and roost at nesting sites. This study tested whether differences in sociality (communal roosting vs. territorial pairs) affect intestinal parasite infections. Fresh faecal samples were collected during winter in central Spain and analysed using flotation and McMaster techniques to detect and quantify coccidian oocysts and helminth eggs. The results revealed a relatively high positive rate of (36.2%, = 116) and a low positive rate of helminths (9.5%, = 116) among communally roosting non-breeders, while no parasites were detected in samples from territorial pairs. One communal roost in the Southern Plateau showed higher coccidian positive rate, possibly influenced by structural features that facilitate faecal contact. Although sample size for pairs was limited, the absence of parasites in this group suggests reduced infection risk, likely reflecting superior condition and immune defences rather than differences in exposure alone. These findings highlight the value of non-invasive parasite monitoring as an early-warning tool in wildlife health assessments and stress the importance of considering social behaviour and environmental heterogeneity into conservation strategies for threatened species.
社会行为在野生鸟类种群寄生虫感染动态中起着关键作用。红嘴山鸦（）是一种数量显著下降的鸦科鸟类，其社会结构与繁殖状态形成对比：非繁殖个体在冬季聚集在公共栖息地，而繁殖对通常维持领地配偶关系并在筑巢地点栖息。本研究测试了社会性差异（公共栖息与领地配偶）是否会影响肠道寄生虫感染。在西班牙中部冬季采集新鲜粪便样本，采用浮选法和麦克马斯特技术进行分析，以检测和量化球虫卵囊和蠕虫卵。结果显示，公共栖息的非繁殖个体中球虫阳性率相对较高（36.2%，=116），蠕虫阳性率较低（9.5%，=116），而领地配偶样本中未检测到寄生虫。南部高原的一个公共栖息地球虫阳性率较高，可能受便于粪便接触的结构特征影响。尽管配偶组样本量有限，但该组未检测到寄生虫表明感染风险降低，这可能反映了更好的身体状况和免疫防御，而不仅仅是接触差异。这些发现凸显了非侵入性寄生虫监测作为野生动物健康评估预警工具的价值，并强调在受威胁物种保护策略中考虑社会行为和环境异质性的重要性。
