Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) staying in urban environments have higher levels of microfungi biota diversity than do birds from non-urban areas

Migratory water birds, including the Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) – one of the most abundant waterfowl species – are involved in the dispersal of microfungi. This study was undertaken to collect data on the possible differences in fungal biota between mallards in urban and non-urban areas. In total, 53 species of microfungi were found in samples taken from the bill cavity and the cloaca. Among them, 19% are pathogens of humans, including the most common fungus, Candida albicans (18.0% of all isolates). Mallards living in proximity to humans were colonised with a higher number of fungal species than were birds living in non-urban areas. This might be the result of conditions that are favourable for microfungi in cities. The differences between the urban and non-urban environments are responsible for the higher levels of similarity in the species structure of the fungi found in the bill cavity and the cloaca within the same environment rather than in the same ontocenoses from different sites.