PRESENCE AND PREVALENCE OF HAEMOPROTEUS IN TWO HUMMINGBIRD SPECIES

Hanna E Baek; San Francisco State University; hbaek@mail.sfsu.edu; Ravinder Sehgal, Lisa Tell

Avian disease presence and prevalence in hummingbirds is severely understudied despite the strong presence of hummingbirds in California. What is the estimated impact of disease on hummingbirds? This research is focusing on haemosporidian parasites in the genus Haemoproteus, which are intracellular parasites that infect erythrocytes. These parasites are transmitted by biting midges. PCR analysis of blood samples, collected using Nobuto strips, of two species of hummingbird: the Rufous hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) and Allen's hummingbird (Selasphorus sasin) is ongoing. Results are currently pending. The project's goal is to estimate the prevalence of these blood parasites in these two species of hummingbird as well as to get a better idea of the particular Haemoproteus species infecting hummingbirds.

Poster Session     Student Paper