HEMATOLOGY AND OCCURRENCE OF HEMOPARASITES IN MIGRATING SHARP-SHINNEDHAWKS (ACCIPITER-STRIATUS) DURING FALL MIGRATION

Packed cell volume (%), total solids (g/dl), white blood cell count (c ells/mul), differential and absolute white blood cell counts, and prev alence of hemoparasites were determined for 85 healthy sharp-shinned h awks (Accipiter striatus) during the 1991 fall migration. The packed c ell volume (47.6 +/- 6.73%), total solids (2.83 +/- 0.58 g/dl) and whi te blood cell count (12 900 +/- 7310 cells/mul) are within ranges repo rted previously for other raptors, both captive and wild. Immature bir ds showed a greater prevalence for the hemoparasites Hemoproteus and L eukocytozoon than adults but there was no significant difference in pr evalence between males and females. These findings add to the small bu t growing data base on hematology of birds of prey.