Populational studies in helminths of birds related to birdstrikes in aircraft at the Brazilian Cerrado savannah

• Grant number: 17/04014-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2017
• End date: July 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Estevam Guilherme Lux Hoppe
• Grantee: Bruna Nestlehner de Lima
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Brazil is one of the countries with the most diverse avifauna. The ecological disruption resultant of the urbanization process has led to population increase of some bird species, which in turn have become threats to the aviation. In Brasilia, located at the center of the Cerrado savannah Biome, two medium-sized birds, the Southern lapwing Vanellus chilensis, and the Southern crested carcara Caracara plancus, are often related to air craft accidents and incidents. It is known that parasites act as regulators of their hosts' population, having an important ecological role. However, in the case of introduced species in new areas, as in Brasilia International Airport, the lack of parasites may be related to the hosts populational increase. The present study aims to describe the helminths that affect the aforementioned bird species, calculate the descriptors of infection, and to evaluate some aspects of the host parasite interactions. (AU)