Quelea birds (Quelea quelea): A correlation study between their feeding habit and gastro-intestinal parasitism in Borno State [Nigeria]

A correlation study to investigate the feeding habit and gastro intestinal parasitism of Quelea birds (Quelea quelea) was carried out in Borno State, Nigeria. One hundred Quelea birds were caught using local traps, culled using chloroform, dissected and their crop contents and gastro-intestinal tracts examined. The study revealed that 33(33.0%) of the birds had infection with gastro-intestinal parasites viz: Raillietina tetragona 26(78.8%), Hymenolepis species 4(12.1%), Amoebotaenia cuneata 2(6.1%) and Fimbriaria fasciolaris 1(3.0%). Out of the 100 birds examined, 56 were males and 44 were females with a prevalence of infection of 15(26.8%) and 18(40.9%), respectively; which was statistically significant (P less than 0.05). Of the 26(78.8%) Raillietina cases, 14(53.9%) were infected male Quelea; while, the infected female Quelea were 12(46.2%). Hymenolepis sp. with 12.1% prevalence had 50.0% as male Quelea and 50.0% as female Quelea; A. cuneata with 6.1% prevalence had only the male Quelea 100% infected. Similarly, Fimbriaria fasciolaris with 3.0% prevalence had only the male Quelea 100% infected. Forty per cent of the Quelea birds examined were found with Pennisetum glaucum (951 grains), Echinochloa colonum (221 grains) and Oryza barthii (140 grains) in their crops with percentage weights of 72.5, 10.7 and 16.8%, respectively with a statistically significant difference (P less than 0.05). Also out of the 40 birds 22(55%) were males; while, 18(45%) were females. Of the 22 males, those with Pennisetum glaucum were 22(100%) with 503(38.3%) grains, Echinochloa colonum 3(13.6%) with 154(11.7%) grains and Oryza barthii 3(13.6%) with 97(10.2%) grains. Also of the 18 females, those with Pennisetum glaucum were 14(77.8%), with 448(34.2%) grains, Echinochloa colonum 4(22.2%) with 67(5.1%) grains. These findings clearly underline the fact that Quelea birds in this semi-arid region feed predominantly on P. glaucum and have a low level gastro- intestinal parasitism.