Abstract:
This study aims to identify the main parasites that can infect breeding feral pigeons (Columba livia) in the city of El Menea, Algeria, over a period of five months, from January to May 2023. To achieve this objective, we conducted a survey of nests in different areas, counted nestlings and adults, and collected fecal samples. During this period, we collected various parasites present on pigeon nestlings and adult pigeons. Once the nestlings had fledged, we examined the nests in the laboratory to detect the presence of ectoparasites. Additionally, we performed microscopic analyses on the fecal samples. The study of parasites of feral pigeons (Columba livia) and their nests revealed the presence of different parasite species, as well as other non-parasitic organisms, with seasonal variations related to the breeding period. The inventory of pigeon parasites and their nests showed a variable presence of a parasitic and non-parasitic faunal community, including a total of three parasite species (Columbicola columbae, Campanulotes compar), with Columbicola columbae being the most abundant species on the bodies of pigeons, and a non-parasitic community mainly represented by the order Hymenoptera in the nests. The internal parasites found in the feces of feral pigeons belong to the phylum Nematoda, in the form of adults and larvae.
