Abstract

From September 2001 to February 2005, observations of an island population of the New Zealand stitchbird (Notiomystis cincta) revealed a progressive feather-losing dermatitis, which developed during the breeding season around the birds' eyes, base of the bill, and ventral neck. The lesions were significantly more likely to develop in males (96%) than females (51%), with males exhibiting a more severe form of the condition at the end of the breeding season. Histology from a dead bird revealed the presence of ovoid burrowing mites within the lesions, and isolation of mites from skin crusts of a live bird were identified as Kneiniclocoptes spp. Although other factors might be involved in the expression of the condition, Knemidocoptes appears to be a likely causative agent in the development of skin lesions in this population

Published in

Journal of Wildlife Diseases
2007, Volume: 43, number: 2, pages: 262-268
Publisher: WILDLIFE DISEASE ASSN, INC

SLU Authors

• Low, Matthew

  • Department of Conservation Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Environmental Sciences related to Agriculture and Land-use


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.7589/0090-3558-43.2.262

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/17108