Tick infestations of birds in coastal Georgia and Alabama

Mist-netted birds were examined for ticks on Jekyll Island, Glynn Co., Geor gia (32 bird species) in 1996-1998, and at Fort Morgan, Baldwin Co., Alabam a (36 species) in 1998 during fall migration. Sixty-two (14.7%) of 423 bird s from Jekyll Island and 22 (13.3%) of 165 birds from Fort Mot gan were inf ested with ticks. The mean number of ticks per infested bird was 2.0 on Jek yll Island and 6.3 at Fort Morgan. Ten species of birds were infested with ticks on Jekyll Island where 87% of all ticks were recovered from 3 species : the common yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas), gray catbird (Dumetella car olinensis), and northern waterthrush (Seirurus noveboracensis). Eight speci es of birds were infested with ticks at Fort Morgan where 83% of all ticks were recovered from 3 species: the brown thrasher (Toxostoma rufum), swamp sparrow (Melospiza georgiana), and common yellowthroat. Six species of tick s (Amblyomma americanum. Amblyomma maculatum, Haemaphysalis leporispalustri s, Ixodes brunneus, Ixodes minor; and Ixodes scapularis) were recovered fro m the Georgia birds, whereas 3 species (A. maculatum, H. leporispalustris, and Ixodes dentatus) were recovered from the Alabama birds. Attempts to iso late Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, the etiologic agent of Lyme borrel iosis, from Ixodes spp. ticks recovered from birds were unsuccessful.