Birds Evolution and Behavior

In this book, the authors present current research in the study of the evolution and behavior, breeding strategies, migration and spread of disease within the bird species. Topics discussed in this compilation include sex determination in birds; structure and function of the avian respiratory system, with discussion regarding its predisposition to injury by particulates and pathogenic microorganisms; distribution and dispersion of coccidia in wild passerines of the Americas; an animal geography of the dominant urban avian scavenger in contrasting case studies; recent infectious diseases or their responsible agents recorded from Japanese wild birds; ticks on Brazilian birds; an overview of recent parasitic diseases due to helminths and arthropods recorded from wild birds, with special reference to conservation medical cases from the Wild Animal Medical Center of Rakuno Gakuen University in Japan; environmental factors that affect urban avian communities; and the impact of landscape configuration and competitors on hooded vulture necrosyrtes monarchus temminck 1823 in Southern Ghana.