When we think of parasites we're more likely to think of a mosquito or a leech, some gross bug that latches onto you and sucks your blood. We wouldn't normally think of a bird, but there are many freeloading birds out there, more than willing to take advantage of another animal. There are even some birds that suck blood. Today we're going to a rarely visited corner of the avian world to find vampires, pirates and changelings. It's going to be fun.

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Notes:

Types of parasites:

• Fish tongue  parasite: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cymothoa_exigua
• Phantom orchid: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cephalanthera_austiniae
• Zombie ant fungus: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophiocordyceps_unilateralis
• Crab parasite: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacculina 
• Mistletoe: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mistletoe
• Rat parasite: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxoplasma_gondii

Today's birds:

• Sword-billed hummingbird: https://ebird.org/species/swbhum1?siteLanguage=en_AU
• Screech owl: https://ebird.org/species/easowl1?siteLanguage=en_AU
  • Screech owl and blind snakes: https://www.earthtouchnews.com/natural-world/animal-behaviour/screech-owls-keep-blind-snakes-as-live-in-housekeepers/
• Cattle Tyrant: https://ebird.org/species/cattyr?siteLanguage=en_AU
• Flowerpiercer: https://ebird.org/species/rusflo1
• Skua: https://ebird.org/species/brnsku3
• Tropicbird: https://ebird.org/species/whttro
• Frigatebird: https://ebird.org/species/grefri?siteLanguage=en_AU
  • Tropic V Frigate: https://ebird.org/species/grefri?siteLanguage=en_AU
• Oxpecker: https://ebird.org/species/reboxp1
• Vampire Ground Finch: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vampire_ground_finch
• Blue footed booby: https://ebird.org/species/bfoboo?siteLanguage=en_AU
  • Blue footed booby mating dance: https://ebird.org/species/bfoboo?siteLanguage=en_AU
• White winged chough: https://ebird.org/species/whwcho1?siteLanguage=en_AU