Abstract

• Local resident around Meiktila environs enjoy selling wild birds as protein sources at Pauk Chaung markets of Meiktila Township, Mandalay Region. In the present study, some specimens of birds were purchased from Pauk Chaung market, Meiktila Township and freshly dead specimens were transported to laboratory of Zoology Department, Meiktila University. The goal of research investigated helminth species that harboured in the gastrointestinal tracts of five marketable bird species. Helminths collected as alive or dead and lactophenol was used as cleaning agent. Parasites were identified by using morphometric measurements and morphological descriptions. During the study period fifty gastrointestinal tracts from five species of birds were examined. Thirty-two birds out of 50 examined birds, showed infestation with eight species of cestodes, four species of nematodes and one species of acanthocephalans. The highest infected rate was observed in cestodes (51.16%), followed by nematodes (46.88%), and acanothocephalans (1.96%). The prevalence of helminths was (50.09%) in small intestine, however single helminths was incidence in the oesophagus plus crop and proventriculus plus gizzard. Not a single trematode was encountered throughout the study period. A high percentage of heiminthiasis was observed in the studied birds.