Chewing Lice (Psocodea: Phthiraptera) Detected in Wild Birds in Hatay, Türkiye, a New Record of the Colpocephalum ecaudati Price and Beer from Black Kite (Milvus migrans)

This study was carried out to determine chewing lice species of the wild birds, which were brought to the Veterinary Health, Practice and Research Center and Wild Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation Center of Hatay Mustafa Kemal University, between May 2018-August 2022. For this purpose, 75 wild birds injured or sick, which needed medical treatment when they arrived at the hospital, were examined for chewing lice. A total of 356 lice specimens were collected, representing 148 males, 157 females and 51 nymphs. The majority of the bird lice collected (317 out of 356) belonged to Amlyceran suborder, while a small number of them (39 out of 356) were obtained in the Ischnoceran suborder. Piagetiella titan (47.8%) detected in Pelecanus onocrotalus was the most common louse species. This was followed by Laemobothrion maximum (16.0%) detected in Clanga pomarina, Buteo rufinus, Circaetus gallicus. Ciconiphilus quadripustulatus (16.0%), Neophilopterus incompletus (10.4%) and Colpocephalum zebra (7.3%) species were detected in Ciconia ciconia. Other species (Colpocephalum ecaudati, Colpocephalum nanum, Pectinopygus forficulatus) were in small numbers (2.5%). Colpocephalum ecaudati found on black kite (Milvus migrans) was reported for the first time in Türkiye. The results of this study contributed to the lice fauna obtained from wild birds in Türkiye.