SURVEY FOR BLOOD PARASITES IN REDHEADS (AYTHYA-AMERICANA) WINTERING AT THE CHANDELEUR ISLANDS, LOUISIANA

We detected no infections with species of Plasmodium, Haemoproteus, Le ucocytozoon, Sarcocystis or Trypanosoma in blood smears, liver and spl een impressions, and muscle tissue from 136 redheads (Aythya americana ) collected or captured at the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana (USA), du ring three winters (1987 to 1990). One bird, a juvenile male, was infe cted with an unidentified species of microfilaria. Thus, we found no e vidence that hematozoa had an effect on redheads during the course of the study.