Publications

pigeons produce aerodynamic torques through changes in wing trajectory during low speed aerial turns.	the complexity of low speed maneuvering flight is apparent from the combination of two critical aspects of this behavior: high power and precise control. to understand how such control is achieved, we examined the underlying kinematics and resulting aerodynamic mechanisms of low speed turning flight in the pigeon (columba livia). three birds were trained to perform 90 deg level turns in a stereotypical fashion and detailed three-dimensional (3d) kinematics were recorded at high speeds. applying ...	2015	25452503
an age-related deficit in spatial-feature reference memory in homing pigeons (columba livia).	age-related memory decline in mammals has been well documented. by contrast, very little is known about memory decline in birds as they age. in the current study we trained younger and older homing pigeons on a reference memory task in which a goal location could be encoded by spatial and feature cues. consistent with a previous working memory study, the results revealed impaired acquisition of combined spatial-feature reference memory in older compared to younger pigeons. following memory acqui ...	2015	25449841
gravity anomalies without geomagnetic disturbances interfere with pigeon homing--a gps tracking study.	the gravity vector theory postulates that birds determine their position to set a home course by comparing the memorized gravity vector at the home loft with the local gravity vector at the release site, and that they should adjust their flight course to the gravity anomalies encountered. as gravity anomalies are often intermingled with geomagnetic anomalies, we released experienced pigeons from the center of a strong circular gravity anomaly (25 km diameter) not associated with magnetic anomali ...	2014	25392461
predicting power-optimal kinematics of avian wings.	a theoretical model of avian flight is developed which simulates wing motion through a class of methods known as predictive simulation. this approach uses numerical optimization to predict power-optimal kinematics of avian wings in hover, cruise, climb and descent. the wing dynamics capture both aerodynamic and inertial loads. the model is used to simulate the flight of the pigeon, columba livia, and the results are compared with previous experimental measurements. in cruise, the model unearths ...	2015	25392398
discrimination of complex human behavior by pigeons (columba livia) and humans.	the cognitive and neural mechanisms for recognizing and categorizing behavior are not well understood in non-human animals. in the current experiments, pigeons and humans learned to categorize two non-repeating, complex human behaviors ("martial arts" vs. "indian dance"). using multiple video exemplars of a digital human model, pigeons discriminated these behaviors in a go/no-go task and humans in a choice task. experiment 1 found that pigeons already experienced with discriminating the locomoti ...	2014	25379777
full-length cdna cloning and structural characterization of preproinsulin in alligator sinensis.	insulin is an important endocrine hormone that plays a critical physiological role in regulating metabolism and glucostasis in vertebrates. in this study, the complete cdna of alligator sinensis preproinsulin gene was cloned for the first time by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and rapid amplification of cdna ends methods; the amino acid sequence encoded and protein structure were analyzed. the full-length of preproinsulin cdna sequence consists of 528 base pairs (bp), comprising ...	2014	25366775
parasite distribution and early-stage encephalitis in sarcocystis calchasi infections in domestic pigeons (columba livia f. domestica).	pigeon protozoal encephalitis is a biphasic, neurologic disease of domestic pigeons (columba livia f. domestica) caused by the apicomplexan parasite sarcocystis calchasi. despite severe inflammatory lesions of the brain, associated parasitic stages have only rarely been identified and the cause of the lesions is still unclear. the aim of this study was therefore to characterize the tissue distribution of s. calchasi within pigeons between the two clinical phases and during the occurrence of neur ...	2015	25338141
[veterinary treatment of pigeon flocks].	veterinary treatment of pigeon flocks requires specific knowledge on the management of the various pigeon flocks as well as of common diseases in these birds and important diagnostic and therapeutic measures. in this context, it is important to differentiate between racing pigeons, thoroughbreds and pigeons kept for meat production, that is, between food-supplying and companion animals. the following article provides an overview of the species-specific characteristics of columba livia f. domesti ...	2014	25323217
does antibody binding to diverse antigens predict future infection?	we studied diverse antigen binding in hosts and the outcome of parasitism. we used captive-bred f1 descendants of feral rock pigeons (columba livia) challenged with blood-feeding flies (hippoboscidae) and a protozoan parasite (haemoproteus). enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (elisas) and immunoblots were used to test (i) whether pre-infection igy antigen binding predicts parasite fitness and (ii) whether antigen binding changes after infection. assays used extracts from three pigeon parasites ( ...	2014	25313676
the prevalence and genetic characterization of chlamydia psittaci from domestic and feral pigeons in poland and the correlation between infection rate and incidence of pigeon circovirus.	chlamydiosis is a zoonotic disease caused by chlamydia psittaci that occurs in a wide range of bird species. high infection rates with c. psittaci are found in pigeons, which can act as vectors transmitting this bacterium to poultry and humans. chlamydia shedding by pigeons is intermittent and can be activated by stressors or immunosuppression. the most common immunosuppressive factor for pigeons is a pigeon circovirus (picv) infection. the main aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of ...	2014	25306457
characterization of the first columbid herpesvirus 1 isolate from a hybrid meat-type pigeon flock in china.	infections of pigeons with herpesviruses have been described in several species of domestic and wild birds. in july 2012, increased mortality was observed in a hybrid meat-type pigeon flock in beijing, china. diagnostic tests led to the isolation of a virus designated columbid herpesvirus 1 bj strain (cohv-1bj). sequence analysis of the viral dna polymerase catalytic subunit gene revealed a single open reading frame of 3753 nt encoding 1250 amino acids. phylogenetic analysis revealed that the co ...	2015	25298181
molecular identification of cryptosporidium spp. in seagulls, pigeons, dogs, and cats in thailand.	zoonotic cryptosporidium spp., particularly c. meleagridis, c. canis, and c. felis, are enteric protozoa responsible for major public health concerns around the world. to determine the spread of this parasite in thailand, we conducted molecular identification of cryptosporidium spp. from animal samples around the country, by collecting and investigating the feces of seagulls (chroicocephalus brunnicephalus and chroicocephalus ridibundus), domestic pigeons (columba livia domestica), dogs, and cat ...	2014	25297887
conditioned discrimination of magnetic inclination in a spatial-orientation arena task by homing pigeons (columba livia).	it has been well established that homing pigeons are able to use the earth's magnetic field to obtain directional information when returning to their loft and that their magnetic compass is based, at least in part, on the perception of magnetic inclination. magnetic inclination has also been hypothesized in pigeons and other long-distance navigators, such as sea turtles, to play a role providing positional information as part of a map. here we developed a behavioral paradigm which allows us to c ...	2014	25278470
genetic characterization of oropharyngeal trichomonad isolates from wild birds indicates that genotype is associated with host species, diet and presence of pathognomonic lesions.	oropharyngeal trichomonad isolates of wild birds from spain were studied. a total of 1688 samples (1214 of predator birds and 474 of prey species) from wildlife recovery centres and scientific bird-ringing campaigns were analysed from 2011 to 2013. the overall infection prevalence was 20.3% (11.4% in predator birds and 43.3% in prey species). pathognomonic lesions were present in 26% of the infected birds (57.3% in predator birds and 4.9% in prey species). the most commonly parasitized species w ...	2014	25262786
epidemiology of chlamydia psittaci infection in racing pigeons and pigeon fanciers in beijing, china.	over 3 million racing pigeons (columba livia) are registered in beijing city center for gambling purposes. during 2008-2010, we evaluated the occurrence and prevalence of chlamydia psittaci in racing pigeons as well as the possible zoonotic transmission to pigeon fanciers in six districts of beijing where pigeon races are particularly popular. c. psittaci-specific serum antibody titres were obtained from 370 pigeons and 79 fanciers using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. in addition, 206 and 67 ...	2015	25244602
magnetic field-driven induction of zenk in the trigeminal system of pigeons (columba livia).	magnetoreception remains one of the few unsolved mysteries in sensory biology. the upper beak, which is innervated by the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve (v1), has been suggested to contain magnetic sensors based on ferromagnetic structures. recently, its existence in pigeons has been seriously challenged by studies suggesting that the previously described iron-accumulations are macrophages, not magnetosensitive nerve endings. this raised the fundamental question of whether v1 is invol ...	2014	25232052
a three-stimulus midsession reversal task in pigeons with visual and spatial discriminative stimuli.	in a two-stimulus visual discrimination task with a reversal in reward contingencies midway through each session, pigeons produce a surprising number of both anticipatory (i.e., before the reversal) and perseverative (i.e., after the reversal) errors. in the current work, we examined pigeons' (columba livia) patterns of responding on a 90-trial, three-stimulus visual or spatial discrimination task with two changes in reward contingency (one after trial 30 and one after trial 60) during each sess ...	2015	25227939
the pigeon (columba livia) model of spontaneous atherosclerosis.	multiple animal models have been employed to study human atherosclerosis, the principal cause of mortality in the united states. each model has individual advantages related to specific pathologies. initiation, the earliest disease phase, is best modeled by the white carneau (wc-as) pigeon. atherosclerosis develops spontaneously in the wc-as without either external manipulation or known risk factors. furthermore, susceptibility is caused by a single gene defect inherited in an autosomal recessiv ...	2014	25214557
the change in heat shock protein expression in avermectin induced neurotoxicity of the pigeon (columba livia) both in vivo and in vitro.	the expression of heat shock proteins (hsps) commonly increases to provide neuroprotection when brain tissues are under stress conditions. residues of avermectins (avms) have neurotoxic effects on a number of non-target organisms. the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of avm exposure on the expression levels of hsp 60, hsp 70 and hsp 90 for pigeon (columba livia) neurons both in vivo and in vitro. the results showed that in general, the mrna and protein levels of hsps were increas ...	2014	25202854
effects of avermectin on microsomal cytochrome p450 enzymes in the liver and kidneys of pigeons.	residues of avermectin (avm) drugs have toxic effects on non-target organisms. analyses of cytochrome p450 enzymes are among the most frequently employed indicators in pharmacology and toxicology studies. in this study, the responses of cytochrome p450 enzymes and pathological changes in the liver and kidney tissues of king pigeons (columba livia) following subchronic exposure to avermectin for 30, 60 and 90d were investigated. dose- and time-dependent decreases in the activities of p450 enzymes ...	2014	25194326
reward context determines risky choice in pigeons and humans.	whereas humans are risk averse for monetary gains, other animals can be risk seeking for food rewards, especially when faced with variable delays or under significant deprivation. a key difference between these findings is that humans are often explicitly told about the risky options, whereas non-human animals must learn about them from their own experience. we tested pigeons (columba livia) and humans in formally identical choice tasks where all outcomes were learned from experience. both speci ...	2014	25165453
transfer between local and global processing levels by pigeons (columba livia) and humans (homo sapiens) in exemplar- and rule-based categorization tasks.	the present experiment investigated pigeons' and humans' processing styles-local or global-in an exemplar-based visual categorization task in which category membership of every stimulus had to be learned individually, and in a rule-based task in which category membership was defined by a perceptual rule. group intact was trained with the original pictures (providing both intact local and global information), group scrambled was trained with scrambled versions of the same pictures (impairing glob ...	2015	25150965
detection of cohv-1 by loop-mediated amplification (lamp). application of lamp for cohv-1 incidence monitoring in domestic pigeons.	the occurrence of columbid herpesvirus-1 (cohv-1) in domestic pigeons presents a potential threat for their husbandry and trade. cohv-1 causes smadel disease among pigeons but may not be manifested by any clinical signs and complicates secondary infections. the material for our study originated from 42 domestic pigeons sent to private veterinary practice in lublin, poland, between 2011 and 2013. some of birds showed clinical signs similar to smadel disease. the cytological examination also indic ...	2014	25146091
discrimination of holograms and real objects by pigeons (columba livia) and humans (homo sapiens).	the type of stimulus material employed in visual tasks is crucial to all comparative cognition research that involves object recognition. there is considerable controversy about the use of 2-dimensional stimuli and the impact that the lack of the 3rd dimension (i.e., depth) may have on animals' performance in tests for their visual and cognitive abilities. we report evidence of discrimination learning using a completely novel type of stimuli, namely, holograms. like real objects, holograms provi ...	2014	25133466
morphological properties of the last primaries, the tail feathers, and the alulae of accipiter nisus, columba livia, falco peregrinus, and falco tinnunculus.	we investigated the mechanical properties (young's modulus, bending stiffness, barb separation forces) of the tenth primary of the wings, of the alulae and of the middle tail feathers of falco peregrinus. for comparison, we also investigated the corresponding feathers in pigeons (columba livia), kestrels (falco tinnunculus), and sparrowhawks (accipiter nisus). in all four species, the young's moduli of the feathers ranged from 5.9 to 8.4 gpa. the feather shafts of f. peregrinus had the largest c ...	2015	25130288
inhibition of the reproductive system by deslorelin in male and female pigeons (columba livia).	veterinary practitioners frequently encounter disorders of the reproductive system in avian patients. management of these disorders relies on manipulating reproduction by modifying the environment, diet, and social interactions, and by the use of pharmacologic agents and surgery, with varying levels of success and side effects. an alternative is to use the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (gnrh) agonist deslorelin to suppress the pituitary-gonadal axis. to determine the efficacy of deslorelin in d ...	2014	25115038
pigeon (columba livia) and rat (rattus norvegicus) performance in the midsession reversal procedure depends upon cue dimensionality.	pigeons (columba livia) produce many anticipatory and perseverative errors on discrimination tasks with a reversal of reward contingencies partway through the session. prior comparative research has suggested that rats (rattus norvegicus) do not show the same number of errors and produce results that more closely resemble those of humans. we examined pigeons' performance on a visual-spatial discrimination with the reversal point randomized within the session and found that they showed remarkably ...	2014	25111628
age-related spatial working memory deficits in homing pigeons (columba livia).	the hippocampus is particularly susceptible to age-related degeneration that, like hippocampal lesions, is thought to lead to age-related decline in spatial memory and navigation. lesions to the avian hippocampal formation (hf) also result in impaired spatial memory and navigation, but the relationship between aging and hf-dependent spatial cognition is unknown. to investigate possible age-related decline in avian spatial cognition, the current study investigated spatial working memory performan ...	2014	25111336
the earliest pigeon fanciers.	feral pigeons have colonised all corners of the earth, having developed a close association with humans and their activities. the wild ancestor of the feral pigeon, the rock dove, is a species of rocky habitats, nesting typically on cliff ledges and at the entrance to large caves. this habit would have brought them into close contact with cave-dwelling humans, a relationship usually linked to the development of dwellings in the neolithic. we show that the association between humans and rock dove ...	2014	25101932
seroprevalence of paramyxoviruses in synanthropic and semi-free-range birds.	avian paramyxoviruses (apmvs) are classified into nine different serotypes (apmv 1-9). virulent strains of apmv-1 are already well characterized as the etiologic agent of newcastle disease (nd), an important disease in poultry that is potentially capable of infecting all orders of avian species. however, very little is known about the other eight serotypes, the majority of which can cause disease in domestic birds. the role of synanthropic and semi-free-range birds as reservoirs of avian paramyx ...	2014	25055638
temporal and contextual consistency of leadership in homing pigeon flocks.	organized flight of homing pigeons (columba livia) was previously shown to rely on simple leadership rules between flock mates, yet the stability of this social structuring over time and across different contexts remains unclear. we quantified the repeatability of leadership-based flock structures within a flight and across multiple flights conducted with the same animals. we compared two contexts of flock composition: flocks of birds of the same age and flight experience; and, flocks of birds o ...	2014	25054203
retinal projection to the pretectal nucleus lentiformis mesencephali in pigeons (columba livia).	in birds, the nucleus of the basal optic root (nbor) and the nucleus lentiformis mesencephali (lm) are retinal-recipient nuclei involved in the analysis of optic flow and the generation of the optokinetic response. the nbor receives retinal input from displaced ganglion cells (dgcs), which are found at the margin of the inner nuclear and inner plexiform layers, rather than the ganglion cell layer. the lm receives afferents from retinal ganglion cells, but whether dgcs also project to lm remains ...	2014	25044056
evidence for perceptual neglect of environmental features in hippocampal-lesioned pigeons during homing.	the importance of the vertebrate hippocampus in spatial cognition is often related to its broad role in memory. however, in birds, the hippocampus appears to be more specifically involved in spatial processes. the maturing of gps-tracking technology has enabled a revolution in navigation research, including the expanded possibility of studying brain mechanisms that guide navigation in the field. by gps-tracking homing pigeons released from distant, unfamiliar sites prior to and after hippocampal ...	2014	25039270
quack leptin.	a lep transcript up-regulated in lungs of ducks (anas platyrhynchos) infected by avian influenza a virus was recently described in the nature genetics manuscript that reported the duck genome. in vertebrates, lep gene symbol is reserved for leptin, the key regulator of energy balance in mammals.	2014	24992969
practice makes proficient: pigeons (columba livia) learn efficient routes on full-circuit navigational traveling salesperson problems.	visiting multiple locations and returning to the start via the shortest route, referred to as the traveling salesman (or salesperson) problem (tsp), is a valuable skill for both humans and non-humans. in the current study, pigeons were trained with increasing set sizes of up to six goals, with each set size presented in three distinct configurations, until consistency in route selection emerged. after training at each set size, the pigeons were tested with two novel configurations. all pigeons a ...	2015	24966123
the role of shifting in choice behavior of pigeons on a two-armed bandit.	pigeons (columba livia) were confronted with a problem in choice known as the two-armed bandit (tab): two concurrent discrete trials random-ratio schedules in which the good side changes randomly from day to day. in the first experiment a substantial proportion of the birds' choices were contrary to those predicted by immediate maximization. under a variety of parameter settings the pigeons chose the bad side more often than expected by immediate maximization. the hypothesis was advanced that sh ...	1990	24925847
comparative effects of food and water deprivation on movement patterns in the pigeon (columba livia).	groups of naive pigeons were either food or water deprived and exposed to response-independent fixed time schedules of reinforcement. reinforcers were always appropriate to the deprivation state. after 15 phase one sessions under the original deprivation state, an additional 15 phase two sessions were run under the alternate deprivation regimen. the phase one results indicated that the frequency of movement over time, as measured by floorboard panels, had a characteristic distribution depending ...	1989	24925779
pair formation and reproductive output in domestic pigeons.	mate selection is a conceivable mechanism whereby an animal could increase its reproductive success. the present study investigates the relationship between mate selection and reproductive output in domestic pigeons. pairs allowed to form spontaneously, in a situation permitting a certain degree of choice, were compared with pairs randomly assigned to each other. the prediction was that spontaneously formed pairs should on average achieve a better reproductive output than pairs randomly formed. ...	1981	24925613
conditioning pigeons to discriminate naturally lit insect specimens.	pigeons (columba livia) were trained on a visual discrimination task using a novel apparatus which enabled pinned specimens of insects, illuminated by natural daylight, to be presented under a pecking key transparent to ultraviolet light. three birds showed evidence of learning to discriminate between sets of wasp and fly specimens. this response transferred to specimens of four hoverfly species, the strength of the response varying between the different hoverfly species. this conditioning techn ...	1999	24925502
individual differences in choice of food items by pigeons.	pigeons (columba livia ) select food items idiosyncratically when feeding on grains (brown, 1969; moon & zeigler, 1979; giraldeau & lefebvre, 1985). in three experiments pigeons under various conditions of food restriction were offered artificial "grains", pellets of pigeon food that differed only in size, to see whether individual differences in preference would still be observed. when 300-mg ("large") and 20-mg ("small") pellets were available simultaneously there were still wide individual di ...	1987	24925294
grouped sequential exploitation of food patches in a flock feeder, the feral pigeon.	feral and laboratory flocks of rock doves (columba livia ) show a pattern of grouped sequential exploitation when simultaneously presented with two dispersed, depleting patches of seed. this behavior contrasts with the ideal free distribution pattern shown when patches are small and concentrated. grouped sequential exploitation consists of two phases: all pigeons first land together and feed at one patch, then leave one by one for the other patch. departure times of individuals for the second pa ...	1985	24924360
the complete genome sequences of poxviruses isolated from a penguin and a pigeon in south africa and comparison to other sequenced avipoxviruses.	two novel avipoxviruses from south africa have been sequenced, one from a feral pigeon (columba livia) (fep2) and the other from an african penguin (spheniscus demersus) (pepv). we present a purpose-designed bioinformatics pipeline for analysis of next generation sequence data of avian poxviruses and compare the different avipoxviruses sequenced to date with specific emphasis on their evolution and gene content.	2014	24919868
some characteristics of spatial associative memory in the pigeon, columba livia.	willson and wilkie (1993) developed a novel procedure to assess pigeons' memory for the spatial location of food. only one of four locations provided food each daily session. each location consisted of an illuminated pecking key and grain feeder. over different days different locations, randomly selected, provided food during a 16-min session. the pigeons tended to revisit the location at which food was found on the previous day thereby demonstrating memory for food-spatial location associations ...	1996	24897631
properties of time-place learning by pigeons, columba livia.	pigeons received discrimination training in which food reinforcement for key pecking was conditional upon both spatial and temporal cues. in experiment 1 food was available for periods of 15 min at each of four locations (pecking keys) during a 60-min trial. however, unlike the procedures used in a previous experiment (wilkie and willson, 1992, experiment 2), food availability did not change over time from one location to the next in a simple monotonic (e.g. counterclockwise) manner. despite mak ...	1994	24897416
response strategies during acquisition of serial learning in pigeons (columba livia).	pigeons were exposed on fixed duration sessions to four chromatic stimuli and trained to perform a 2-item sequence. a detailed analysis of incorrect responses performed on each trial prior to completion of the sequence led to distinguish three learning stages. already on initial sessions animals responded significantly more frequently to relevant stimuli than to irrelevant ones indicating stimulus control by salience. during an intermediary stage, responding to item 2 increased significantly and ...	1996	24896416
molecular characterization, genetic diversity and antibacterial susceptibility of escherichia coli encoding shiga toxin 2f in domestic pigeons.	this study aimed to evaluate prevalence, characteristics, genotypic diversity and antibacterial susceptibility of escherichia coli encoding shiga toxin 2f in domestic pigeons in different provinces of iran. a total of 117 faecal samples were collected from pigeons and were subjected to molecular detection of stx2f. in total, 20, 25·8, 21·4 and 9% of pigeons from tehran, ferdows, garmsar and babol cities carried stx2f+ isolates, respectively. of the 460 e. coli isolates examined, 43 were stx2f+ a ...	2014	24863542
natural infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza virus h5n1 in domestic pigeons (columba livia) in egypt.	the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (hpaiv) subtype h5n1 threatens animal and human health worldwide. susceptibility of pigeons to hpaiv (h5n1) and their role in avian influenza virus transmission to domestic birds and humans remain questionable. in this study, an outbreak in domestic pigeons (1 to 18 months old) with 50% mortality was investigated. pigeons exhibited nervous manifestations and greenish diarrhoea. necropsy of the naturally infected pigeons revealed congestion of the inter ...	2014	24861170
molecular cloning and tissue distribution of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (pparα) and gamma (pparγ) in the pigeon (columba livia domestica).	1. peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (ppar) are involved in lipid metabolism through transcriptional regulation of target gene expression. the objective of the current study was to clone and characterise the pparα and pparγ genes in pigeon. 2. the full-length of 1941-bp pparα and 1653-bp pparγ were cloned from pigeons. the two genes were predicted to encode 468 and 475 amino acids, respectively. both proteins contained two c4-type zinc fingers, a nuclear hormone receptor dna-binding re ...	2014	24844133
estimating the surface area of birds: using the homing pigeon (columba livia) as a model.	estimation of the surface area of the avian body is valuable for thermoregulation and metabolism studies as well as for assessing exposure to oil and other surface-active organic pollutants from a spill. the use of frozen carcasses for surface area estimations prevents the ability to modify the posture of the bird. the surface area of six live homing pigeons in the fully extended flight position was estimated using a noninvasive method. an equation was derived to estimate the total surface area ...	2014	24812356
through the eyes of a bird: modelling visually guided obstacle flight.	various flight navigation strategies for birds have been identified at the large spatial scales of migratory and homing behaviours. however, relatively little is known about close-range obstacle negotiation through cluttered environments. to examine obstacle flight guidance, we tracked pigeons (columba livia) flying through an artificial forest of vertical poles. interestingly, pigeons adjusted their flight path only approximately 1.5 m from the forest entry, suggesting a reactive mode of path p ...	2014	24812052
following the sun: a mathematical analysis of the tracks of clock-shifted homing pigeons.	we analysed the tracks of clock-shifted pigeons from six releases to determine how they cope with the conflict between their sun compass and other navigational cues. time-lag embedding was used to calculate the short-term correlation dimension, a parameter that reflects the complexity of the navigational system, and with it, the number of factors involved. initially, while pigeons were still at the release site, the short-term correlation dimension was low; it increased as the birds left the sit ...	2014	24803461
[cockroaches and co. the role of health pests as allergen source].	in most of the cases health pests are carriers of pathogens or parasites which have a negative impact on human health or affect the health of other mammals. what is lesser known is that they can also act as allergens. most of the health pests in this sense belong to the arthropods, such as cockroaches (blattaria), mosquitos (culiciformia), lice (pediculus humanus corporis), fleas (siphonaptera) and ticks (argasidae). in the group of vertebrates rats (rattus norvegicus and rattus rattus), house m ...	2014	24781916
do pigeons (columba livia) perceive object unity?	human infants perceive two rods moving in concert behind an occluder as one unitary rod. in four experiments we tested whether pigeons also perceive unity of objects. pigeons were trained on a matching-to-sample task to discriminate between one unitary rod moving at a constant speed and two aligned rods moving together at the same speed. the latter stimulus was identical to the former except for a gap in the center. in experiment 1, we tested pigeons in probe trials in which a rectangle occluded ...	2001	24777505
[the taxonomy of the baku virus (bakv; reoviridae, orbivirus) isolated from the birds obligate parasites argasidae ticks in azerbaijan, turkmenistan, and uzbekistan].	the baku virus (bakv) was originally isolated from the ticks ornithodoros capensis neumann, 1901 (acari: argasidae) collected from the seagull (larus argentatus) seating nests on the islands of the baku archipelago, the caspian sea. bakv was assigned to kemerovo group (kemv) (orbivirus, reoviridae). the bakv was frequently isolated from the ticks o. coniceps canestrini, 1980, collected from l. argentatus and tern (sterna hirundo) nests in turkmenia and pigeon (columba livia neglecta) nests in uz ...	2016	24772642
dynamics of bacterial and fungal communities associated with eggshells during incubation.	microorganisms are closely associated with eggs and may play a determinant role in embryo survival. yet, the majority of studies focusing on this association relied on culture-based methodology, eventually leading to a skewed assessment of microbial communities. by targeting the 16s rrna gene and internal transcribed spacer (its) region, we, respectively, described bacterial and fungal communities on eggshells of the homing pigeon columba livia. we explored their structure, abundance, and compos ...	2014	24772289
granuloma formation and suspected neuropathic pain in a domestic pigeon (columba livia) secondary to an oil-based, inactivated newcastle disease vaccine administered for protection against pigeon paramyxovirus-1.	a domestic pigeon developed a sterile granuloma following vaccination with an oil-adjuvant, inactivated la sota strain of newcastle disease. the aim of vaccination was to provide protection against pigeon paramyxovirus-1 (ppmv-1), a disease previously considered exotic to australia. granuloma formation is considered a rare complication of vaccination against ppmv-1 in pigeons. clinical signs consistent with neuropathic pain became apparent during the extensive management of the granuloma, which ...	2014	24766048
discovery and characterization of the first genuine avian leptin gene in the rock dove (columba livia).	leptin, the key regulator of mammalian energy balance, has been at the center of a great controversy in avian biology for the last 15 years since initial reports of a putative leptin gene (lep) in chickens. here, we characterize a novel lep in rock dove (columba livia) with low similarity of the predicted protein sequence (30% identity, 47% similarity) to the human ortholog. searching the sequence-read-archive database revealed leptin transcripts, in the dove's liver, with 2 noncoding exons prec ...	2014	24758303
learning multiple routes in homing pigeons.	the aerial lifestyle of central-place foraging birds allows wide-ranging movements, raising fundamental questions about their remarkable navigation and memory systems. for example, we know that pigeons (columba livia), long-standing models for avian navigation, rely on individually distinct routes when homing from familiar sites. but it remains unknown how they cope with the task of learning several routes in parallel. here, we examined how learning multiple routes influences homing in pigeons. ...	2014	24718093
observation of magnetic field effects on transient fluorescence spectra of cryptochrome 1 from homing pigeons.	cryptochromes are suggested to be involved in the bird magnetoreception based on the radical pair mechanism (rpm), a well established theory of weak magnetic field effects on chemical reactions. two members of cryptochrome/photolyase family were found to respond to magnetic field, however, no direct responses of bird cryptochrome to magnetic field as weak as the earth's magnetic field have been obtained so far. in this study, we used transient fluorescence spectroscopy to characterize the weak m ...	2014	24689535
occurrence of enteropathogenic bacteria in urban pigeons (columba livia) in italy.	this study was aimed at evaluating the prevalence of campylobacter spp., escherichia coli o157, salmonella spp., and related virulence factors (the cdt, stx, and eae genes) in urban pigeons of the coastal area of the campania region (southern italy). to achieve this goal, cloacal swab samples from a total of 1800 urban pigeons were collected and subjected to culture methods, pcr, and serotyping. the results of the present study showed a prevalence of 48.3% (870/1800), 7.8% (141/1800), and 0.9% ( ...	2014	24661012
pigeon circoviruses display patterns of recombination, genomic secondary structure and selection similar to those of beak and feather disease viruses.	pigeon circovirus (picv) has a ~2 kb genome circular ssdna genome. all but one of the known picv isolates have been found infecting pigeons in various parts of the world. in this study, we screened 324 swab and tissue samples from polish pigeons and recovered 30 complete genomes, 16 of which came from birds displaying no obvious pathology. together with 17 other publicly available picv complete genomes sampled throughout the northern hemisphere and australia, we find that picv displays a similar ...	2014	24639400
attentional tradeoffs in the pigeon.	we deployed the multiple necessary cues (mnc) discrimination task to see if pigeons can simultaneously attend to four different dimensions of complex visual stimuli. specifically, we trained nine pigeons (columba livia) on a go/no go discrimination to peck only 1 of 16 compound stimuli created from all possible combinations of two stimulus values from four separable visual dimensions: shape (circle/square), size (large/small), line orientation (horizontal/vertical), and brightness (dark/light). ...	2014	24634281
an experimental test of the effects of behavioral and immunological defenses against vectors: do they interact to protect birds from blood parasites?	blood-feeding arthropods can harm their hosts in many ways, such as through direct tissue damage and anemia, but also by distracting hosts from foraging or watching for predators. blood-borne pathogens transmitted by arthropods can further harm the host. thus, effective behavioral and immunological defenses against blood-feeding arthropods may provide important fitness advantages to hosts if they reduce bites, and in systems involving pathogen transmission, if they lower pathogen transmission ra ...	2014	24620737
trichomonas spp. in pigeons: detection by osom trichomonas rapid test.	the efficacy of the osom trichomonas rapid test (developed for rapid diagnosis of human trichomonas vaginalis) in detection of trichomonas spp. in pigeons (columba livia) was investigated. two oral cavity swabs were taken from 50 farm pigeons. cultivation in diamond trichomonas medium was used as a reference method. according to a morphological determination, trichomonas gallinae was the only protozoan found; however, no further molecular analysis was conducted. the osom trichomonas test was pos ...	2013	24597125
synanthropic birds and parasites.	this paper describes the parasitologic findings for 60 synanthropic bird carcasses recovered in the campania region of southern italy. birds consisted of 20 yellow-legged gulls (larus michahellis), 15 rock pigeons (columba livia), 15 common kestrels (falco tinnunculus), and 10 carrion crows (corvus corone). each carcass was examined to detect the presence of ectoparasites and then necropsied to detect helminths. ectoparasites occurred in 100% of the birds examined. in particular, chewing lice we ...	2013	24597118
perception of complex motion in humans and pigeons (columba livia).	in the primate visual system, local motion signals are pooled to create a global motion percept. like primates, many birds are highly dependent on vision for their survival, yet relatively little is known about motion perception in birds. we used random-dot stimuli to investigate pigeons' ability to detect complex motion (radial, rotation, and spiral) compared to humans. our human participants had a significantly lower threshold for rotational and radial motion when compared to spiral motion. th ...	2014	24570385
detection of diisocyanates in nesting material associated with mortality in pigeon chicks.	diisocyanates, commonly used in the production of polyurethane foams, paints, elastomers, varnishes, and coatings, are considered among the most hazardous inhalation toxicants. the present report describes 2 unusual cases of mortality in pigeon chicks associated with nesting material contaminated by diisocyanates. case 1 was submitted by a racing pigeon breeder who had lost all the hatchlings (n = 125) following replacement of the nesting material with a different lot. all adult birds appeared h ...	2014	24567542
thermoregulatory behavior is widespread in the embryos of reptiles and birds.	recent studies have demonstrated that thermoregulatory behavior occurs not only in posthatching turtles but also in turtles prior to hatching. does thermoregulatory behavior also occur in the embryos of other reptile and bird species? our experiments show that such behavior is widespread but not universal in reptile and bird embryos. we recorded repositioning within the egg, in response to thermal gradients, in the embryos of three species of snakes (xenochrophis piscator, elaphe bimaculata, and ...	2014	24561606
a global analysis of the impacts of urbanization on bird and plant diversity reveals key anthropogenic drivers.	urbanization contributes to the loss of the world's biodiversity and the homogenization of its biota. however, comparative studies of urban biodiversity leading to robust generalities of the status and drivers of biodiversity in cities at the global scale are lacking. here, we compiled the largest global dataset to date of two diverse taxa in cities: birds (54 cities) and plants (110 cities). we found that the majority of urban bird and plant species are native in the world's cities. few plants ...	2014	24523278
epistatic and combinatorial effects of pigmentary gene mutations in the domestic pigeon.	understanding the molecular basis of phenotypic diversity is a critical challenge in biology, yet we know little about the mechanistic effects of different mutations and epistatic relationships among loci that contribute to complex traits. pigmentation genetics offers a powerful model for identifying mutations underlying diversity and for determining how additional complexity emerges from interactions among loci. centuries of artificial selection in domestic rock pigeons (columba livia) have cul ...	2014	24508169
collective learning in route navigation.	in a recent paper,(1) we examined how experience of repeatedly flying with a specific partner influences pigeons' subsequent navigational decision-making in larger flocks. we found that pairs develop into a "behavioral unit" through their shared experience of joint flights, acquiring a single idiosyncratic route during training, and then forming spatially distinct subgroups when flying with other pairs. further, differences between the route preferences of different pairs appear to be reconciled ...	2013	24505504
biochemical and molecular characterization of the cyclophyllidean cestode, cotugnia cuneata (meggit, 1924), an endoparasite of domestic pigeons, columba livia domestica.	analysis of the major biochemical constituents of cotugnia cuneata revealed that the total protein, carbohydrate, glycogen and lipid contents (as percentage of dry weight) were 25.22 ± 0.93, 32.90 ± 0.30, 21.33 ± 0.99 and 9.94 ± 0.42 respectively. the results showed that the carbohydrate content was the highest followed by protein and lipid contents respectively. glycogen content was relatively high which showed that carbohydrate was mainly present in the form of glycogen in these cestodes. the ...	2012	24505187
evaluation of a west nile virus surveillance and early warning system in greece, based on domestic pigeons.	in the summer of 2010 an epidemic of west nile virus (wnv) occurred in central macedonia, greece, with 197 human neuroinvasive disease (wnnd) cases. in the following years the virus spread to new areas, with a total of 76 wnnd cases in 2011, and 109 wnnd cases in 2012 (14 and 12 wnnd cases, respectively, in central macedonia). we established a surveillance system based on serological testing of domestic pigeons, using celisa confirmed by serum neutralization test. in central macedonia, pigeon se ...	2014	24503179
the antitrichomonal efficacy of garlic and metronidazole against trichomonas gallinae infecting domestic pigeons.	trichomonas gallinae is the causative agent of canker in pigeon. this work was carried out to investigate in the vitro and in vivo efficacy of aqueous water extract of garlic (age) on the growth of t. gallinae infecting pigeons compared to those of metronidazole (mtz). mtz and age were added, at different concentrations, to glucose-serum broth medium containing 1 × 10(4) trophozoites/ml. in the in vivo experiment, 48 squabs were grouped into four groups. the first group (gr. i) was not infected ...	2014	24488107
distribution of neurotransmitter receptors and zinc in the pigeon (columba livia) hippocampal formation: a basis for further comparison with the mammalian hippocampus.	the avian hippocampal formation (hf) and mammalian hippocampus share a similar functional role in spatial cognition, but the underlying neuronal mechanisms allowing the functional similarity are incompletely understood. to understand better the organization of the avian hf and its transmitter receptors, we analyzed binding site densities for glutamatergic ampa, nmda, and kainate receptors; gabaa receptors; muscarinic m1 , m2 and nicotinic (nach) acetylcholine receptors; noradrenergic α1 and α2 r ...	2014	24477871
the role of key features in predator recognition by untrained birds.	the most important role in the recognition and categorization of predators (as well as other animals) is usually attributed to so-called key features. under laboratory conditions, we tested the role of yellow eyes (specific for the genus accipiter in european raptors) and hooked beak (common for all european birds of prey) in the recognition of the sparrowhawk (accipiter nisus) by untrained great tits (parus major) caught in the wild. using wooden dummies, we interchanged either one of these pot ...	2014	24458458
necrotizing hepatitis in a domestic pigeon (columba livia).	an adult male domestic pigeon (columba livia) was presented for necropsy following natural death after a period of chronic weight loss and severe intestinal ascariasis. histopathologic examination of the liver found moderate to marked, multifocal necrotizing hepatitis with large, basophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies. transmission electron microscopy of affected hepatocytes demonstrated numerous intra- and perinuclear icosahedral virions arranged in a lattice structure, consistent with adenov ...	2014	24457158
racing pigeons: a reservoir for nitro-imidazole-resistant trichomonas gallinae.	trichomonas gallinae , the cause of avian trichomonosis, is most commonly found in the order columbiformes. racing pigeons are often treated preventively with nitro-imidazoles, which could result in the emergence of resistant isolates, and these isolates can be a threat to wildlife when exchanges occur. the sequence type of 16 t. gallinae isolates obtained from racing pigeons and 15 isolates from wild pigeons was determined based on the its1/5.8s rrna/its2 region sequence. in addition, the resis ...	2014	24456034
mitochondrial genome sequence of egyptian swift rock pigeon (columba livia breed egyptian swift).	the egyptian swift rock pigeon is a breed of fancy pigeon developed over many years of selective breeding. in this work, we report the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of egyptian swift rock pigeon. the total length of the mitogenome was 17,239 bp and its overall base composition was estimated to be 30.2% for a, 24.0% for t, 31.9% for c and 13.9% for g, indicating an a-t (54.2%)-rich feature in the mitogenome. it contained the typical structure of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal rna g ...	2015	24438285
the complete mitochondrial genome of the feral rock pigeon (columba livia breed feral).	abstract in the present work, we report the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of feral rock pigeon for the first time. the total length of the mitogenome was 17,239 bp with the base composition of 30.3% for a, 24.0% for t, 31.9% for c, and 13.8% for g and an a-t (54.3 %)-rich feature was detected. it harbored 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal rna genes, 22 transfer rna genes and 1 non-coding control region (d-loop region). the arrangement of all genes was identical to the typical mitocho ...	2014	24438239
state-level approaches to managing the use of contraceptives in wildlife in the united states.	several fertility control agents have recently been registered with the u.s. environmental protection agency for management of wildlife or other free-ranging animals. the registration of gonacon immunocontraceptive vaccine for use in white-tailed deer (odocoileus virginianus) and ovocontrol for use in canada geese (branta canadensis) and pigeons (columba livia) has caused state wildlife and land management agencies to review their regulatory authority over the use of contraceptives in wildlife. ...	2013	24437085
morphology, projection pattern, and neurochemical identity of cajal's "centrifugal neurons": the cells of origin of the tectoventrogeniculate pathway in pigeon (columba livia) and chicken (gallus gallus).	the nucleus geniculatus lateralis pars ventralis (glv) is a prominent retinal target in all amniotes. in birds, it is in receipt of a dense and topographically organized retinal projection. the glv is also the target of substantial and topographically organized projections from the optic tectum and the visual wulst (hyperpallium). tectal and retinal afferents terminate homotopically within the external glv-neuropil. efferents from the glv follow a descending course through the tegmentum and can ...	2014	24435811
route following and the pigeon's familiar area map.	homing pigeons (columba livia) have been the central model of avian navigation research for many decades, but only more recently has research extended into understanding their mechanisms of orientation in the familiar area. the discovery (facilitated by gps tracking) that pigeons gradually acquire with experience individually idiosyncratic routes home to which they remain faithful on repeated releases, even if displaced off-route, has helped uncover the fundamental role of familiar visual landma ...	2014	24431141
sarcocystis calchasi has an expanded host range and induces neurological disease in cockatiels (nymphicus hollandicus) and north american rock pigeons (columbia livia f. dom.).	pigeon protozoal encephalitis (ppe) is an emerging central nervous system disease of pigeons (columba livia f. domestica) caused by the apicomplexan parasite sarcocystis calchasi. the intermediate host specificity of s. calchasi had been considered high, as domestic chickens were resistant to experimental infection. here, we have re-evaluated this concept and expanded the known host range of s. calchasi by experimental infection of cockatiels (nymphicus hollandicus), a species distantly related ...	2014	24360290
cryptococcus spp. isolation from excreta of pigeons (columba livia) in and around monterrey, mexico.	the presence of cryptococcus spp. has been reported in mexico's capital city; however, to our knowledge there are no reports of its presence in the state of nuevo león located in northeast mexico. this is presumed to be because the hot and dry climate in this region does not favor cryptococcal proliferation. this study confirmed the presence of c. neoformans and c. albidus in 20% (10/50) of randomly selected fecal samples of pigeons (columba livia) in the monterrey metropolitan area. the presenc ...	2013	24349946
food availability and maternal immunization affect transfer and persistence of maternal antibodies in nestling pigeons.	the ability of mothers to transfer antibodies (abs) to their young and the temporal persistence of maternal abs in offspring constitute important life-history traits that can impact the evolution of host-parasite interactions. here, we examined the effects of food availability and parental immunization on the transfer and persistence of maternal antibodies in nestling pigeons (columba livia). this species can transmit maternal abs to offspring before hatching through the egg yolk and potentially ...	2013	24348905
plasma exogenous creatinine excretion for the assessment of renal function in avian medicine--pharmacokinetic modeling in racing pigeons (columba livia).	the diagnostic evaluation of the glomerular filtration rate by urinary clearance has significant practical limitations in birds because urine is excreted together with feces. thus, pharmacokinetic modeling of an exogenous plasma creatinine clearance could be useful for assessing renal creatinine excretion in birds. for this study, creatinine (50 mg/kg) was administered to 2 groups of 15 pigeons (columba livia) each; in one group by the intravenous (iv) route and in the second by the intramuscula ...	2013	24344507
new records and new species of mites of the subfamily harpirhynchinae (acariformes: harpirhynchidae) infesting birds in manitoba, canada.	five new species and one new genus of the subfamily harpirhynchinae (acariformes: harpirhynchidae) are described from birds in canada: harpyrhynchoides heatherae sp. nov. from junco hyemalis (passeriformes: emberizidae), h. botaurus sp. nov. from botaurus lentiginosus (pelecaniformes: ardeidae), h. phalaropus sp. nov. from phalaropus lobatus (charadriiformes: scolopacidae), neharpyrhynchus loxia sp. nov. from loxia curvirostra (passeriformes: fringillidae), and fainharpirhynchus contopus gen. no ...	2013	24338301
[efficacy of doxycycline for treatment of chlamydiosis in flocks of racing and fancy pigeons].	evaluation of the clinical efficacy of doxycycline application via drinking water in the treatment of chlamydiosis in infected, clinically ill flocks of racing and fancy pigeons (columba livia f. domestica) under field conditions.	2013	24326879
hippocampal lesions in homing pigeons do not impair feature-quality or feature-quantity discrimination.	the role of the avian hippocampal formation (hf) in spatial cognition is well demonstrated. however, it remains uncertain if the avian hippocampus, like its mammalian counterpart, has a role in the integration of elements that could compose a memory independent of space. the two experiments in the current study examined whether the hf of homing pigeons (columba livia) was required to encode into memory a discriminative representation of food quality (experiment 1) and quantity (experiment 2) wit ...	2014	24300891
the urban pigeon (columba livia, forma urbana) - a biomonitor for the lead burden of the environment.	the concentrations of lead in the femura (pb-f) and the 5-aminolaevulinic-acid-dehydratase in blood (ala-d) have been determined in three pigeon populations (50 birds each), caught at urban sites with different traffic densities. the following mean concentrations were found (pb-f [mg/kg wet wt.]/ala-d [u/i]): 10.7/18.8 in the low burdened group, 27.9/10.8 in the moderate burdened group, and 49.5/5.6 in the high burdened group. these values were compared with a controlled group of 50 farm pigeons ...	1987	24254223
attempts at infecting ringed turtle doves with virulent trichomonas gallinae.	twenty trichomonas -free ringed turtle doves ( streptopelia risoria ) were inoculated per os with the highly virulent jones' barn strain of trichomonas gallinae . none became infected. three f1 females housed together were similarly inoculated with this strain and remained trichomonas -positive for upwards of 182 days. they showed no disease and eventually lost their infections. these three positive females "mated" and laid several six-egg sets in a communal nest. at successive nestings they wer ...	1977	24228964
efferent and afferent connections of the olfactory bulb and prepiriform cortex in the pigeon (columba livia).	although olfaction in birds is known to be involved in a variety of behaviors, there is comparatively little detailed information on the olfactory brain. in the pigeon brain, the olfactory bulb (ob) is known to project to the prepiriform cortex (cpp), piriform cortex (cpi), and dorsolateral corticoid area (cdl), which together are called the olfactory pallium, but centrifugal pathways to the ob have not been fully explored. fiber connections of cpi and cdl have been reported, but those of other ...	2014	24222632
aldrin poisoning of sarus cranes (grus antigone) and a few granivorous birds in keoladeo national park, bharatpur, india.	: between 1987-88 and 1989-90, 18 sarus cranes (grus antigone), more than 50 collared doves (streptopelia decaocto) and a few blue rock pigeons (columba livia) were found dead during winter in keoladeo national park, bharatpur, which coincided with the application of aldrin in the crop fields around the park. brain tissue of sarus cranes, collared doves and blue rock pigeons contained an average of 19.33 (3.56-43.46), 15.19 (7.40-20.70), and 20.42 (14.61-26.23) ppm, wet weight, of dieldrin, resp ...	1993	24201581
change detection and change blindness in pigeons (columba livia).	change blindness is a phenomenon in which even obvious details in a visual scene change without being noticed. although change blindness has been studied extensively in humans, we do not yet know if it is a phenomenon that also occurs in other animals. thus, investigation of change blindness in a nonhuman species may prove to be valuable by beginning to provide some insight into its ultimate causes. pigeons learned a change detection task in which pecks to the location of a change in a sequence ...	2014	24188621
epidemiological investigations on the role of clinically healthy racing pigeons as a reservoir for avian paramyxovirus-1 and avian influenza virus.	clinically healthy racing pigeons may harbour notifiable pathogens and serve as an unnoticed reservoir. thus, 3480 healthy racing pigeons from 172 different lofts were monitored over a period of 2 years for the presence of avian influenza virus (aiv) and avian paramyxovirus-1 (apmv-1). pharyngeal and cloacal swabs as well as blood samples were collected from juvenile and adult pigeons. pools of five pharyngeal swabs per loft and age group were initially screened by real-time reverse transcriptas ...	2013	24188518
positive influence of l-carnitine on the different muscle fibres types of racing pigeons.	succinate dehydrogenase (sdh), ca(2+) atpase, lactate dehydrogenase (ldh), are involved in energy metabolism. these enzymes can be used as indicators of the energy capacity of aerobic cells. the study investigated the effects of l-carnitine supplementation on m. pectoralis superficialis, m. pectoralis profundus, m. extensor carpi radialis muscle and m. flexor carpi ulnaris. twenty-eight racing pigeons hatched at the same time were divided randomly into three groups. eight pigeons, which were use ...	2014	24164218
[examinations on the pharmacokinetics and compatibility of enalapril in racing pigeons].	it was the aim of this study to examine the compatibility and the pharmacokinetics of the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor enalapril after oral application in racing pigeons and amazons, and to contribute to a safe dosage regime of this drug in birds.	2013	24127029
qualitative and quantitative evaluation of avian demineralized bone matrix in heterotopic beds.	to evaluate the osteogenic potential of avian demineralized bone matrix (dbm) in the context of implant geometry.	2013	24117844
prevalence of parasites and associated risk factors in domestic pigeons (columba livia domestica) and free-range backyard chickens of sistan region, east of iran.	this study was carried out on free-range backyard chickens and domestic pigeons (columba livia domestica) from december 2010 to november 2011 to determine the prevalence, intensity and species of internal and external parasites in sistan region, east of iran. of the total of 59 (27 males and 32 females) free-range backyard chickens and 46 (26 males and 20 females) domestic pigeons inspected, 55 (93.22 %) and 39 (84.78 %) were infected respectively. ten species of free-range backyard chickens par ...	2012	24082532