Vectors of birds' haemosporidians

1. Bukauskaitė, D., Žiegytė, R., Palinauskas, V., Iezhova, T. A., Dimitrov, D., Ilgūnas, M., Bernotienė, R., Markovets, M. Y. & Valkiūnas, G. 2015 Biting midges (Culicoides, Diptera) transmit Haemoproteus parasites of owls: evidence from sporogony and molecular phylogeny. Parasites & Vectors 8, 303. (doi:10.1186/s13071-015-0910-6)
2. Bobeva, A., Zehtindjiev, P., Ilieva, M., Dimitrov, D., Mathis, A. & Bensch, S. 2015 Host preferences of ornithophilic biting midges of the genus Culicoides in the Eastern Balkans. Med. Vet. Entomol. 29, 290–296. (doi:10.1111/mve.12108)
3. Bobeva, A., Ilieva, M., Dimitrov, D. & Zehtindjiev, P. 2014 Degree of associations among vectors of the genus Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) and host bird species with respect to haemosporidian parasites in NE Bulgaria. Parasitol. Res. 113, 4505–4511. (doi:10.1007/s00436-014-4140-1)
4. Bobeva, A., Zehtindjiev, P., Bensch, S. & Radrova, J. 2013 A survey of biting midges of the genus Culicoides Latreille, 1809 (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in NE Bulgaria, with respect to transmission of avian haemosporidians. Acta Parasitol. 58, 585–591. (doi:10.2478/s11686-013-0185-z)

 Goritsa Oak Forest

Together with Johan Traff (Gotland, Sweden), Dr. Peter Adamik and Dr. Pert Prohazka (Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic) the RG of Avian blood parasites takes part of an ongoing study on the breeding ecology, blood parasites infection and migration strategies of the semi collared flycatcher (Ficedula semitorquata). The study population is located in the Kamchya Mountain, East Bulgaria (see map), at around 150 m above main sea level. The breeding localities are in young deciduous forest, mainly oak (Quercus spp) and all of used for this study semi-collared flycatchers are from nest box breeding population.

Map of the study area made by Viktor Vasilev (University of Shumen, Bulgaria)

Miroslav Kral (Czech Republic) setting up "nest box trap" for catching adult semicollared, may 2014.

Male semi collared flycatcher in the Oak Goritsa forest. Photo: Johan Traff

Male semi collared flycatcher (Ficedula semitroquata)

Dr. Peter Adamik and Miroslav Kral preparing for a catch.

Fledglings of semi collared flycatchers. 

Johan Traff (Sweden) ringing adult semicollared flycatcher.

Johan Traff with Strahil Peev (PhD student) at the study area.