HAEMOPROTEUS TINNUNCULI IN CRESTED CARACARAS (CARACARA-PLANCUS-AUDUBONII) FROM SOUTH-CENTRAL FLORIDA

From 1994-96, 223 Crested Caracaras (Caracara plancus audubonii) from eight counties in southcentral Florida were examined for blood parasit es. Haemoproteus tinnunculi was the only hematozoan seen. The overall prevalence was 28.2%. Prevalence was higher for adults (50.0%) than fo r nestlings (20.4%, P = 0.0001). There were no differences in prevalen ce of infection between years (P = 0.8899). The only significant inter action was between age and sampling month (P = 0.0027). The adult bird s had a constant prevalence from February-May, while nestlings had an increasing prevalence over the same time period. This is the first rep ort of Haemoproteus tinnunculi in Crested Caracaras.