Hematozoa in the endangered wood stork from Georgia

Thin blood smears of 75 wood storks (Mycteria americana) from Georgia (USA) were made during the summers of 1994-96 and examined for blood parasites. Haemoproteus crumenium was found in one of 71 juveniles and in two adults from a sample of two subadults and two adults. Intensity of infection in the juvenile and in each of the two adults was 11, 3, and 2 parasites/5,000 erythrocytes, respectively. This is the first record of H. crumenium in the wood stork from Georgia and the second published record of H. crumenium infecting this host in North America. Additionally, one juvenile was infected with a microfilarid.