A recent study has revealed that birds of prey in Spain play a crucial role in the spread of certain parasites of the genus Sarcocystis. These parasites require two hosts to complete their life cycle: an intermediate one, where they develop in the muscles, and a definitive one, where they mature in the intestines. Although predators and scavengers were known to be definitive hosts, the involvement of birds of prey had not been sufficiently investigated until now.

In this study, carried out by a group of researchers from Lithuania and Spain, 40 birds of prey from the families Accipitridae, Falconidae and Strigidae were analysed in our country. Surprisingly, Sarcocystis species were detected in 82.5% of the intestinal samples. Nine known species were identified, such as S. arctica, S. columbae and S. halieti, as well as three genetically new organisms. Particularly notable was the common buzzard (Buteo buteo), in whose samples up to nine different species of Sarcocystis were found.

This discovery underlines the importance of birds of prey in the transmission of these parasites and highlights the need to consider birds as definitive hosts in epidemiological studies. Understanding this transmission cycle is essential to develop effective control and prevention strategies for diseases associated with Sarcocystis, which can affect both wildlife and domestic animals and even humans.

Furthermore, the high rate of co-infection observed in birds of prey suggests that these birds could be a significant reservoir of genetic diversity for Sarcocystis. This finding opens new avenues of research into how these parasitic interactions can influence the health of ecosystems and the dynamics of bird of prey populations.