Radiographic Findings in Captive Falcons in

Radiographic records were reviewed from 1702 falcons of different species that were presented to the Falcon Specialist Hospital and Research Institute of the Fahad bin Sultan Falcon Center, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from September 1, 1998, to March 1, 2002. The most common radiographie findings were homogeneous and nonhomogeneous increased radiopacity and localized soft-tissue densities of the lungs and air sacs, hepatomegaly, presence of lead particles or excessive amounts of sand in the gastrointestinal tract, gastrointestinal tract dilatation, and bone fractures. These findings contribute to the scant information available about health and disease of falcons in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in particular and in the Middle East in general. saker falcons (Falco cherrug), 736 (14%) peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus), 106 (1.9%) gyrfalcons (Falco rusticolus), 114 (2%) lanner falcons (Falco biarmicus), 2 (0.03%) prairie falcons (Falco mexi canus), and 110 (2%) hybrid falcons. The birds were of different ages, from juveniles less than 1 year old to adults more than 10 years old. About 95% of the birds examined were females. Most fal cons belonged to Saudi falconers, but an undeter mined number of birds came from Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Physical examinations were performed on all fal cons that were presented for health screening or vaccination or because of sickness. Selective diag nostic procedures included parasitologic screening (endo- and ectoparasites, protozoan and haemato zoan parasites); h?matologie testing and biochemi cal analysis; blood lead analysis; microbiologie cul ture; and cytologie, endoscopie, and radiographie examinations. Of the 5336 falcons presented for examination at the FSFC, radiographie examinations were per formed on 1702 (32%). In an undetermined number of falcons, radiographs were taken more than once on different occasions.