About the Parasitism of the Bird’s Blood Flies (Diptera, Hippoboscidae) on the Sand Martin (<i>Riparia riparia</i> (L., 1758)) in the European Part of Russia

Abstract

The purpose of the research is to study of the species composition and frequency of occurrence of bird’s blood flies (Diptera, Hippoboscidae) parasitizing on sand martin (Riparia riparia (L., 1758)) in the European part of Russia.Materials and methods. The material for this work was the collection of bird’s blood flies, obtained by us during the ringing of sand martin in 2016–2018. The population of six sand martin colonies located along the banks of the Klyazma and Uvod rivers in the territory of the Kovrov region of the Vladimir region was examined. Birds were caught, blocking the entrance to the holes by spider nets. A total of 842 swallows were examined and ringed.Results and discussion. After examining 674 adults (349 males, 325 females) and 168 juveniles of sand martin, we found only two blood suckers Ornithomya avicularia (the frequency of occurrence of flies in birds is 0.2%). This type of bird’s blood flies is an unspecialized pleioxeny parasite. The results of our observations show that the parasitism of O. avicularia on the sand martin is extremely rare. Narrow-specific, monoxenous species of bird’s blood flies, parasitic on sand martin, were not found in the study area.

Keywords

• bird’s blood flies
• diptera
• hippoboscidae
• sand martin
• riparia riparia
• ornithomya avicularia
• vladimir region