A parasitological survey was conducted at some zoos in the states of São Paulo and Paraná, Brazil, from 2009 to 2011. Several groups of birds were surveyed for fecal samples, but the most important was Psittacidae. Among the parasites, Eimeria (coccidian) and Capillaria, Ascaridia and Heterakis (nematodes) were observed in almost one third of the samples. Presence of a rich parasite fauna associated with captive birds seems to be an effect of captivity, since data on free-ranging birds indicate few or virtually no parasites at all. The discovery of new coccidian species during this survey reveals the need of more research on the subject as even well-known bird species have unknown parasites, but caution must be exercised in order to avoid descriptions of pseudoparasites. © 2015, Brazilain Coll Veterinary Parasitology. All rights reserved.2418791Allgayer, M.C., Guedes, N.M.R., Chiminazzo, C., Cziulik, M., Weimer, T.A., Clinical pathology and parasitologic evaluation of free-living nestlings of the Hyacinth Macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus) (2009) J Wildl Dis, 45 (4), pp. 972-981. , http://dx.doi.org/10.7589/0090-3558-45.4.972, PMid:19901373Berto, B.P., Lopes, B.B., Teixeira Filho, W.L., Flausino, W., Lopes, C.W.G., Coccidios de invertebrados associados ao habito alimentar de vertebrados: Uma revisao breve dos generos Adelea, Adelina e (2010) Barroussia. Rev Bras Med Vet, 32 (1), pp. 33-41Clubb, S.L., Frenkel, J.K., Sarcocystis falcatula of opossums: Transmission by cockroaches with fatal pulmonary disease in psittacine birds (1992) J Parasitol, 78 (1), pp. 116-124. , http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3283697, PMid:1738053Cordon, G.P., Prados, A.H., Romero, D., Moreno, M.S., Pontes, A., Osuna, A., Intestinal and haematic parasitism in the birds of the Almunecar (Granada, Spain) ornithological garden (2009) Vet Parasitol, 165 (3-4), pp. 361-366. , http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2009.07.027, PMid:19682800Freitas, J.F.T., Mendonca, J.M., Guimaraes, J.P., Sobre algumas especies do genero Capillaria Zeder, 1800 parasitas de aves (Nematoda, Trichuroidea) (1959) Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz, 57 (1), pp. 17-32. , http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0074-02761959000100002, PMid:13814750Freitas, M.F.L., Oliveira, J.B., Cavalcanti, M.D.B., Leite, A.S., Magalhaes, V.S., Oliveira, R.A., Parasitos gastrointestinales de aves silvestres en cautiverio en el estado de Pernambuco, Brasil (2002) Parasitol Latinoam, 57 (1-2), pp. 50-54. , https://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0717-77122002000100012Gilardi, K.V.K., Lowenstine, L.J., Gilardi, J.D., Munn, C.A., A survey for selected viral, chlamydial, and parasitic diseases in wild dusky-headed parakeets (Aratinga weddellii) and tui parakeets (Brotogeris sanctithomae) in Peru (1995) J Wildl Dis, 31 (4), pp. 523-528. , http://dx.doi.org/10.7589/0090-3558-31.4.523, PMid:8592384Hofstatter, P.G., Guaraldo, A.M.A., Eimeria abmitu n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from the razor-billed curassow Mitu tuberosum Spix (Galliformes: Cracidae) (2011) Syst Parasitol, 78 (1), pp. 69-71. , http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11230-010-9277-4, PMid:21161492Hofstatter, P.G., Guaraldo, A.M.A., A new eimerian species (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from the blue-fronted Amazon parrot Amazona aestiva L. (Aves: Psittacidae) in Brazil (2011) J Parasitol, 97 (6), pp. 1140-1141. , http://dx.doi.org/10.1645/GE-2797.1, PMid:21612420Masello, J.F., Choconi, R.G., Sehgal, R.N.M., Tell, L., Quillfeldt, P., Blood and intestinal parasites in wild Psittaciformes: A case study of burrowing parrots (Cyanoliseus patagonus) (2006) Ornitol Neotrop, 17 (4), pp. 515-529Patel, P.V., Patel, A.I., Sahu, R.K., Vyas, R., Prevalence of gastro-intestinal parasites in captive birds of Gujarat Zoo's (2000) Zoos Print J, 15 (7), pp. 295-296. , http://dx.doi.org/10.11609/JoTT.ZPJ.15.7.295-6Sheather, A.T., The detection of intestinal protozoa and mange parasites by a flotation technique (1923) J Comp Pathol, 36 (4), pp. 266-275. , http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0368-1742(23)80052-2Stone, E.G., Montiel-Parra, G., Perez, T.M., A survey of selected parasitic and viral pathogens in four species of Mexican parrots, Amazona autumnalis, Amazona oratrix, Amazona viridigenalis, and Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha (2005) J Zoo Wildl Med, 36 (2), pp. 245-249. , http://dx.doi.org/10.1638/04-026.1, PMid:17323565Upton, S.J., Ernst, J.V., Clubb, S.L., Current, W.L., Eimeria forresteri n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from Ramphastos toco and a redescription of Isospora graculai from (1984) Gracula religiosa. Syst Parasitol, 6 (3), pp. 237-240. , http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00009233