LOW INFECTION PREVALENCE OF BLOOD PARASITES IN HOODED WARBLERS

We quantified haematozoan infections in Hooded Warblers (Wilsonia citr ina) sampled over two consecutive breeding seasons in northeastern Pen nsylvania and during one season on the wintering grounds in Quintana R oo, Mexico. A total of 227 slides representing 89 individuals from the breeding grounds and 23 individuals from the wintering grounds were s cored for parasite prevalence and intensity Prevalences were very low for blood parasites identified, with 13% (15/112) of birds infected wi th Leucocytozoon, Plasmodium, Haemoproteus and microfilariae. Mean par asite intensity of all four types of parasites was 8.4 parasites/100 f ields for combined age- and sex-classes. Our results indicate that Hoo ded Warblers have markedly low prevalence of blood parasites for reaso ns that are currently unknown.