Mortality Factors and Diseases in Free-Ranging Eurasian Cranes (Grus Grus) in Germany

Abstract

Detailed postmortem examinations were performed on 167 free-ranging Eurasian Cranes (Grus grus) from Germany, collected between September 1998 and December 2008 to evaluate causes of death and diseases. The most common causes of mortality were traumatic injuries (n=105, 62.9%) from collisions with power lines (n=39, 23.4%) and wire fences (n=12, 7.2%). A group of 28 Eurasian Cranes (16.8%) died from organophosphate intoxication. Predation by White-tailed Sea Eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla) and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) occurred in four cases (2.4%). Pathologic changes due to infectious diseases were associated with Aspergillus spp. (n=7, 4.2%), endoparasites (n=7, 4.2%), avian poxvirus (n=6, 3.6%), Mycobacterium spp. (n=2, 1.2%), and adenovirus infection (n=1, 0.6%). A severe Strigea spp. infection (n=1, 0.6%) and a leiomyosarcoma (n=1, 0.6%) were newly recognized diseases in Eurasian Cranes in this study.

Temporal-spatial patterns of intestinal parasites of the Hooded Crane (Grus monacha) wintering in lakes of the middle and lower Yangtze River floodplain

“…Parasitic infection levels in Hooded Cranes seem to be low compared with previous reports on intestinal parasites of free-range Eurasian Cranes (Grus grus) (78.9%, N = 728) (Fanke et al 2011). The most common parasite was coccidia (53.1%, n = 436), followed by Ascaridia sp.…”

“…The incidence of Eimeria coccidia infection in our investigation was clearly lower than that reported for the Hooded Cranes wintering in Japan, which is most likely due to a lower host density. Nematodes are also an important part of the intestinal parasitic community, a lethal factor for migratory cranes (Varela et al 2001;Mowlavi et al 2006;Fanke et al 2011). Ascaridia sp., Strongyloides sp.…”

Parasitic helminths in grey heron (Ardea cinerea) chicks

“…In Poland, this nematode was first identified by Bezubik in 1954 in an adult grey heron and purple heron, Ardea purpurea (L., 1766). Fanke et al (2011) detected P. ardeae in cranes (Gruiformes) in Germany. The prevalence in the examined birds (n = 101) was over 60%.…”

“…Nematodes of the Porrocaecum genus are found in many bird species linked to both aquatic and terrestrial environments (Vicente 1995;Ferrer et al 2004;Papazahariadou et al 2008;Yoshino et al 2009;Fanke et al 2011). These parasites have a complex life cycle that includes animals associated with both aquatic and terrestrial habitats (oligochaetes, crustaceans, fish and small mammals).…”

Gastrointestinal and ectoparasites of plumbeous rail, Pardirallus sanguinolentus (Aves: Rallidae) in Central Chile

“…One bird presented this parasite underneath the parietal peritoneum and mesentery of its body cavity (coelom), as well as in the lumen of the small intestine, which was perforated. This does not seem to be an isolated incident given that Fanke et al (2011) reported the death of three common crane, Grus grus Linnaeus (1758), due to intestinal perforation caused by severe infestation with this parasite. Species of the genus Porrocaecum Railliet & Henry, 1912 are cosmopolitan and present indirect life cycles; invertebrates serve as an intermediate host (ATKINSON et al, 2008;DZIEKONSKA-RYNKO et al, 2015).…”