Abstract:
The study aims to compare the intestinal parasite burden between wild birds and captive birds in El
Meniaa and Ghardaïa. Droppings were collected from various locations and analyzed in the laboratory
using the Willis method. Wild pigeons generally exhibit a higher prevalence of intestinal parasites due to
their exposure to a natural environment rich in parasites. Conversely, captive pigeons benefit from
controlled hygiene conditions. The results showed that only one sample out of 30 captive pigeon
droppings contained an intestinal parasite, whereas, among wild pigeons, the number of intestinal
parasites varied from 0 to 6 per sample in 23 positive samples. Regarding the types of parasites, a
significant presence of nematodes as well as a high prevalence of coccidia were observed.
