Avian malaria in House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) populations in anthropized areas of Valencian Community, Spain

Abstract

The House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) is one of the most common birds in anthropized environments in almost all areas of the world. Despite this, since the last century a significant population decline has been recorded in most regions. The causes of this decline are attributed to agricultural intensification, land use changes, predation by invasive species, or diseases. Avian malaria, caused by parasites of the genus Plasmodium, is considered one of the possible causes of the decline, mainly in urban and suburban areas. It has also been shown that the population growth rate is inversely proportional to the intensity of infection. In this work carried out in the Valencian Community, the percentage of avian malaria infection in Sparrows in urban, suburban, and rural areas has been measured. In addition, the relationship between the presence of the parasite and age, sex, type of area (urban or rural) and the scaled mass index (SMI) as an indicator of the body condition of the individuals was studied. The infection percentage was 11.9%, and no significant variables were found in the model.