Parasitologisk undersökning av parasiter hos tjäder, (Tetrao urogallus)

Sammanfattning: In the report parasites in the gastrointestinal tract and easily visible external symptoms of disease in capercaillie, (Tetrao urogallus), was taken into account. The study was based on results from the examination of 62 fresh faecal samples, collected in spring 2003, and postmortem examination of 22 frozen birds that were collected between 1999 and 2003. All of the samples principally were from the north of Sweden. In total, 4 species of parasites, but no significant symptoms of disease were found. In the faeces low levels eggs of the roundworms Capillaria spp. (125 epg) and Ascaridia spp. (50 epg), as well as Eimeria spp. oocysts (117 opg) were recorded. At the postmortem examination one bird with a macroscopical enlarged heart was found, whereas the injuries of the remaining capercaillies could arise from trauma of different kind. In the examination of the stomach and intestines, 42 % were infected and both Capillaria spp. and Ascaridia spp. were found. In half of the infected birds, tapeworm, Raillietina/Hymenolepis spp. was also found. Whether these findings are typical of Swedish capercaillie is difficult to know, as similar results from previous studies are not avaliable. However, based on the results in this study, the occurrence of both disease and parasites in the capercaillie seem to be low.