HEALTH ASSESSMENT OF BLUE-FOOTED BOOBIES (SULA NEBOUXII EXCISA) DETERMINED BY HEMATOLOGY, BIOCHEMISTRY, BLOOD GASES, AND PHYSICAL EXAMINATION IN THE GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS.

Abstract

The Galápagos blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii excisa) is a sulid species endemic to the Galápagos archipelago. Here we present physical examination, breeding status, hematology, and blood chemistry results from 60 Galápagos blue-footed boobies that were captured by hand from their nesting site on North Seymour Island in June 2017 and July 2022. A portable blood analyzer (iSTAT) was used to obtain values in the field for hematocrit, hemoglobin, sodium, potassium, chloride, ionized calcium, total CO₂, glucose, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and anion gap for each bird. Blood lactate, total solids, packed cell volume, and blood smears were also assessed. A white blood cell differential was performed in 2017. The breeding status of each bird and the number of chicks in the nests were also recorded. Total CO₂, blood urea nitrogen, ionized calcium, potassium, anion gap, hematocrit, and hemoglobin were all higher in 2022 than in 2017. There were also more nests with chicks in 2022 than in 2017. Lactate, ionized calcium, hematocrit, and hemoglobin were all higher in females than in males, and blood urea nitrogen was higher in males than in females. These results provide a reference to the baseline health parameters in a free-living population of Galápagos blue-footed boobies that can be used to monitor the health status of this species.