Interrelationships of parasites of white-winged doves and mourning doves in Florida

The parasites of indigenous populations of mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) in north and south Florida were compared with those of an introduced population of white-winged doves (z. asiatica) in south Florida. Thirty-two species of parasites including 5 protozoans, 7 nematodes, 2 trematodes, 2 cestodes, 7 acarines, 7 mallophagans, and 2 dipterans were found. Of these, 16 common to both species of doves. Mourning doves from north Florida showed a more diverse parasite fauna than did the white-winged or mourning dove populations from south Florida. Nematodes were the most common parasites in all three populations; infected doves contained one or two nematode species per dove. Total helminth burdens per infected dove averaged 13.1 for white-winged doves, 19.9 for mourning doves in south Florida, and 6.6 for mourning doves in north Florida. The prevalence of infections by Trichomonas gallinae was higher in white-winged doves (97%) than in mourning doves in south Florida (17%) or in mourning doves in north Florida (1%). The high prevalence of this parasite in expanding populations of white-winged doves may pose a threat to mourning dove populations since some strains of T. gallinae are pathogenic.