Parasitic helminths of flying starlings (Sturnus vulgaris L.) in their nesting area

1.150 flying starlings and 226 pulli have been necropsied and their helminth parasites collected. Localities where the birds has been captured are given in table 1 and the map. Flying birds are parasited in the proportion of 97.1%. There are three trematodes species, eight cestodes, six nematodes and one acanthocephalan (table 2). Differences are noted according with the locality, the season and the age of the bird. Pulli are parasited by 47% with a very important difference between the two places. The number of parasitic species is lesser: one trematode, two cestodes and three nematodes. The helminthological fauna of belgian starlings seems common but more important and much varied that in the birds hibernating in North Africa.