Avian malaria (Plasmodium) and related genera (Haemoproteus and
Leucocytozoon) are diverse and widespread parasites. Despite the extent
of knowledge on avian haemosporidian parasites, information about
domestic and wild birds blood parasites is overall insufficient in
Iran. Prevalence of the haemosporidian parasites and phylogenetic
relationship of lineages are studied by using molecular and
morphological results of 152 examined hosts belonging to 17 species.
Molecular analysis for haemosporidian detections demonstrated overall
prevalence 22.36%. Inspected hosts mostly belonging to Common Pigeons
(Columba livia) parasitized by Haemoproteus spp., and Hooded Crows
(Corvus cornix) and Carrion Crow (C. corone) were identified as hosting
Plasmodium spp. Detected lineages COLIV03, COQUI05, LINN01, ROFI04 and
SGS01 are identified as new reports from Iran. We detected no evidence
of Leucocytozoon lineages, while the high prevalence of H. columbae was
found in Common Pigeons. Such investigation on avian blood parasites
contributes to providing new information on the prevalence, epidemiology
and geographical distribution of haemosporidian parasites circulating
in domestic, pets and wild birds.