Ectoparasites and Gastro-Intestinal Helminths of Black-Billed Wood Dove (Turtur abyssinicus) and Vinaceous Dove (Streptopelia vinacea) Hartlaub and Finsch 1870 in Zaria, Nigeria.

A total sample of 50 birds consisting of 40 Blackbilled Wood Doves (Turtur abyssinicus) and 10 Vinaceous Doves (Streptopelia vinacea) Hartlaud and Finsch 1870 trapped from the wild in Zaria, Nigeria, were examined for ectoparasites and gastro-intestinal helminths, to determine the prevalence, intensity, and mean intensity of infestation and infection. The bodies of the birds were brushed onto a white sheet of paper placed in a tray for the collection of ectoparasites, while the gastro-intestinal tracts of the birds were examined for helminths. Three species of ectoparasites, Menopon gallinae Linnaeus 1758 1 (2.5%), Columbicola columbae Linnaeus 1758 5 (12.5%), and Argas persicus Oken 1818 2 (5.0%) were collected from Blackbilled Wood Dove while Menopon gallinae Linnaeus 1758, 2 (20.0%), Columbicola columbae Linnaeus 1758 19 (10.0%), and Pseudolynchia canariensis Macquart 1840 1 (10.0%) were collected from Vinaceous Dove. Single and double infestations were found in 6 (15.0%) and 1 (2.5%) birds respectively in Blackbilled Wood Dove, while only double type infestations were found in 2 (20.0%) Vinaceous Doves. The sex-specific infestation rates were 5 (20.8%) in males and 2 (12.5%) in females in Black-billed Wood Dove and 1 (25.0%) in males and 1 (16.7%) in females in Vinaceous Dove. There was no significant difference (P> 0.05) in the infestation rates between the sexes. Five species of cestodes were collected from the gastro-intestinal tracts of Black-billed Wood Doves and three from Vinaceous Doves. The cestodes were Raillietina tetragona Molin, 1858 1 (2.5%), Raillietina cesticillus Molin, 1858 4 (10.0%), R. magninumida Jones, 1930 3 (7.5%), R. echinobothrida Megnin, 1881 5 (12.5%), Amoebotaenia cuneata Linstow, 1872 1 (2.5%), and R. cesticillus Molin, 1858 2 (20.0%), Hymenolepis carioca Magalhaes, 1898 1 (10.0%) and Hymenolepis cantaniana Polonio, 1860 1 (10.0%), respectively. Only a single infection type was observed in Black-billed Wood Dove while Vinaceous Dove had single and double infections in the order 2 (20.0%) and 1 (10.0%), respectively. The sexspecific infection rates were 11 (45.8%) in males and 3 (18.8%) in females in Black-billed Wood Dove and 1 (25.0%) in males and 2 (33.3%) in females in Vinaceous Dove. This study implicated the Black-billed Wood Dove and the Vinaceous Dove as a probable definitive host of some ectoparasites and helminths. (