Blood parasites in noddies and boobies from Brazilian offshore islands – differences between species and influence of nesting habitat

A molecular screening of blood parasites in seabirds from Brazil's Atlantic Ocean islands revealed distinct infection patterns between noddy and booby species, with Haemoproteus infecting brown noddies at low prevalence and Babesia primarily affecting juvenile masked boobies. Ground-nesting species exhibited higher parasite exposure compared to tree-nesting counterparts, suggesting nesting habitat influences vector exposure. The study highlights the need for broader datasets to understand blood parasite prevalence in seabirds.

QUILLFELDT, P., MARTÍNEZ, J., BUGONI, L., MANCINI, P. L., & MERINO, S. (2013). Blood parasites in noddies and boobies from Brazilian offshore islands – differences between species and influence of nesting habitat. Parasitology, 141(3), 399–410. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0031182013001649