| widespread and structured distributions of blood parasite haplotypes across a migratory divide of the swainson's thrush (catharus ustulatus). | we examined the phylogenetic distribution of cytochrome b haplotypes of the avian blood parasite genera haemoproteus and plasmodium across the migratory divide of the swainson's thrush (catharus ustulatus) in british columbia, canada. from 87 host individuals, we identified 8 parasite haplotypes; 4 of plasmodium and 4 of haemoproteus. six haplotypes were novel; 1 haemoproteus haplotype was identical to h. majoris found in the blue tit (parus caeruleus) in sweden, and another halotype was identic ... | 2007 | 18314697 |
| Widespread dispersal of Borrelia burgdorferi-infected ticks collected from songbirds across Canada. | Abstract Millions of Lyme disease vector ticks are dispersed annually by songbirds across Canada, but often overlooked as the source of infection. For clarity on vector distribution, we sampled 481 ticks (12 species and 3 undetermined ticks) from 211 songbirds (42 species/subspecies) nationwide. Using PCR, 52 (29.5%) of 176 Ixodes ticks tested were positive for the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. Immature blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis, collected from infested songbird ... | 2011 | 21864130 |
| genetic, morphological, and ecological characterization of a hybrid zone that spans a migratory divide. | this study characterizes a hybrid zone that spans a migratory divide between subspecies of the swainson's thrush (catharus ustulatus), a long distance migratory songbird, in the coast mountains of british columbia. to assess the potential for a barrier to gene flow between the subspecies, i: (1) analyzed the shape and width of genetic and morphological clines relative to estimates of dispersal distance, (2) assessed the ratio of parental to hybrid genotypes across the hybrid zone, (3) estimated ... | 2008 | 18039327 |