Feathers of 502 free-living birds and 367 birds’ nests from Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia were examined for the presence of Chaetomiaceae. These fungi were found in 53% of feather samples and in 36% of nests; among 89 examined bird species, 62 tested positive. A statistically significant difference was observed in the frequency of Chaetomiaceae on feathers (0.93 isolates per sample) versus nests (0.42 isolates). Only two genera were found: Chaetomium (12 species) and Chaetomidium (2 species). Common species included Chaetomium globosum, C. funicolum, C. murorum, C. indicum, C. cochliodes, and C. bostrychodes; less frequent were C. elatum and C. olivaceum; rare were C. crispatum, C. ochraceum, C. reflexum, C. spirale, Chaetomidium fimeti, and C. subfimeti. Several species were recorded in Czechoslovakia for the first time.
Hubálek Z. (1974): Dispersal of fungi of the family Chaetomiaceae by free-living birds. I. A survey of records. – Česká Mykologie 28(2): 65–79.
