Sessions

Ticks are vectors of numerous pathogens and pose a substantial risk to human and animal health. Climate change has contributed to declines in some tick populations, while others have expanded their geographical ranges. Other factors, such as land use, may also play a role. Birds are important tick hosts, predominantly harbouring larvae and nymphs of generalist species, while adults of ornithophilic species may also be found on them. Migratory birds are particularly important in the long-distance dispersal of ticks and the pathogens they carry. Therefore, continuous monitoring of tick infestations and their changes is essential. The samples analysed consisted of ticks collected from birds between May 2024 and July 2026 during systematic examinations carried out during bird-ringing activities. Most samples originated from Hungary, from 57 sites, while some came from Greece and Romania. The examined birds belonged to 59 species: 49 to the order Passeriformes and the remaining ten to eight other orders. The Ruff is particularly noteworthy as a new tick host species, from which Ixodes ricinus was identified. The Eurasian Hoopoe had previously been reported as a tick host, but this is the first confirmed record from Hungary. Some examined birds were known tick hosts, but the tick species or developmental stages found on them had not previously been reported. New host associations were recorded for Haemaphysalis concinna on the Water Rail, Eastern Imperial Eagle and Northern Wheatear; Ixodes festai on the Redwing; and Haemaphysalis punctata on the Sedge Warbler and Savi's Warbler. Adult I. ricinus were also identified on the Common Kestrel for the first time. During sampling, the anatomical regions from which ticks were collected were also recorded. In total, 5,243 ticks were collected from 1,973 birds, with their attachment sites documented. The main focus was therefore the anatomical distribution of ticks on native birds. In forest-dwelling species, ticks were significantly more frequent in the corner of the beak (p < 0.001), whereas the throat was the preferred attachment site in reedbed species. The two most frequently collected species were H. concinna (n = 2,754) and I. ricinus (n = 2,266). I. ricinus was significantly more frequent on forest-dwelling birds (p < 0.001), as were Ixodes frontalis and Ixodes arboricola, compared with reedbed birds. Conversely, H. concinna and H. punctata were more frequent on reedbed birds. Based on this exceptionally large dataset, we investigated the spatial and temporal distribution of tick species on birds in Hungary and the factors influencing their preferred blood-feeding attachment sites.