A passerine is any bird of the order Passeriformes which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds, passerines generally have an anisodactyl arrangement of their toes, which facilitates perching.
The parrotbills are a family, Paradoxornithidae, of passerine birds that are primarily native to East, Southeast and South Asia, with a single species in western North America, though feral populations exist elsewhere. They are generally small birds that inhabit reedbeds, forests and similar habitats. The traditional parrotbills feed mainly on seeds, e.g. of grasses, to which their robust bill, as the name implies, is well-adapted. Members of the family are usually non-migratory.
The grey wagtail is a member of the wagtail family, Motacillidae, measuring around 18–19 cm overall length. The species looks somewhat similar to the yellow wagtail but has the yellow on its underside restricted to the throat and vent. Breeding males have a black throat. The species is widely distributed, with several populations breeding in Eurosiberia and migrating to tropical regions in Asia and Africa. The species is always associated with running water when breeding, although they may use man-made structures near streams for the nest. Outside the breeding season, they may also be seen around lakes, coasts and other watery habitats. Like other wagtails, they frequently wag their tail and fly low with undulations and they have a sharp call that is often given in flight.
The garden warbler is a common and widespread small bird that breeds in most of Europe and in the Palearctic to western Siberia. It is a plain, long-winged and long-tailed typical warbler with brown upperparts and dull white underparts; the sexes are similar and juveniles resemble the adults. Its two subspecies differ only slightly and interbreed where their ranges overlap. Due to its lack of distinguishing features, this species can be confused with a number of other unstreaked warblers. The garden warbler's rich melodic song is similar to that of the blackcap, its closest relative, which competes with it for territory when nesting in the same woodland.
Isospora is a genus of internal parasites in the subclass Coccidia.
Sarcocystis is a genus of protozoan parasites, with many species infecting mammals, reptiles and birds. Its name is dervived from Greek sarx = flesh and kystis = bladder.
Piaya is a small genus of relatively large and long-tailed cuckoos, which occur in Mexico, Central America and South America.
The Eucoccidiorida are an order of microscopic, spore-forming, single-celled parasites belonging to the apicomplexan class Conoidasida. Protozoans of this order include parasites of humans, and both domesticated and wild animals including birds. Among these parasites are the Toxoplasma gondii that cause toxoplasmosis and Isospora belli, which results in isosporiasis.
The cuckoo-finch, also known as the parasitic weaver or cuckoo weaver, is a small passerine bird now placed in the family Viduidae with the indigobirds and whydahs. It occurs in grassland in Africa south of the Sahara. The male is mainly yellow and green while the female is buff with dark streaks. They lay their eggs in the nests of other birds.
Viktor Rafaelyevich Dolnik was a Russian ornithologist who administered the Rybachy Biological Station for 22 years. Haemoproteus dolniki is named after him.
Eimeriidae is a family of Apicomplexa. It contains the following genera:
Toxic birds are birds that use toxins to defend themselves from predators. Although no known bird actively injects or produces venom, toxic birds sequester poison from animals and plants they consume, especially poisonous insects. Species include the pitohui and ifrita birds from Papua New Guinea, the European quail, the spur-winged goose, hoopoes, the bronzewing pigeon, and the red warbler.
Cyclospora is a genus of apicomplexan parasites. It includes the species Cyclospora cayetanensis, the causative agent of cyclosporiasis. Members of Cyclospora are characterized as having oocysts with two sporocysts, each containing two sporozoites.
Cystoisospora is a genus of parasitic alveolates belonging to the phylum Apicomplexa.
Atoxoplasma is a genus of parasitic alveolates in the phylum Apicomplexa. The species in this genus infect birds. They are spread by the orofaecal route.
Hyaloklossia is a genus of parasitic alveolates in the phylum Apicomplexa. Only two species in this genus are currently recognised.
Lankesterella is a genus in the phylum Apicomplexa. Species in this genus infect amphibians, reptiles and birds.
Isospora sylvianthina is a species of internal parasites classified under Coccidia. It frequently occurs in the Eurasian blackcap and the garden warbler.
Cystoisospora belli, previously known as Isospora belli, is a parasite that causes an intestinal disease known as cystoisosporiasis. This protozoan parasite is opportunistic in immune suppressed human hosts. It primarily exists in the epithelial cells of the small intestine, and develops in the cell cytoplasm. The distribution of this coccidian parasite is cosmopolitan, but is mainly found in tropical and subtropical areas of the world such as the Caribbean, Central and S. America, India, Africa, and S.E. Asia. In the U.S., it is usually associated with HIV infection and institutional living.
Cystoisospora canis, previously known as Isospora canis, is a microscopic, coccidian parasite that causes an intestinal tract infection in dogs. The intestinal tract infection is coccidiosis caused by a protozoa called coccidia.
