Haematological characteristics of individuals from nine species of Australian cockatoos in response to naturally occurring disease and injury

Abstract

Birds, both captive and free living, may encounter health challenges and haematological assessment provides important insight into the response to these challenges. We investigated the haematological characteristics, in response to a range of injuries and naturally occurring disease, exhibited by 31 birds from nine species of Australian cockatoos. The birds exhibited packed cell volume between 0.14 and 0.55 l/l with a maximum proportion of 12.5 % polychromatophilic erythrocytes. A spectrum of leukocyte responses was observed. The total leukocyte concentration was between 2.20 and 50.00 × 109/l. The heterophil concentration was between 0.86 and 47.25 × 109/l and the lymphocyte concentration was between 0.27 and 16.47 × 109/l. Morphological atypia of leukocytes was evident for 27/31 (87.1 %) birds. This study illustrates the heterogeneous haematological response exhibited by Australian cockatoos.