A Biochemical Study of Spontaneous Atherosclerosis in Pigeons

Two breeds of pigeons (White Carneau and Silver King) have been found to have a high incidence of spontaneous atheromatous lesions in the aorta, while two breeds of homing pigeons (Racing Homers and Show Racers) seemed to be resistant to atherosclerosis. The weight of the aorta, and its cholesterol content, paralleled the severity of the disease. The levels of serum cholesterol and phospholipids, and the cholesterol: phospholipid ratio, however, appear to be unrelated to the incidence and severity of atherosclerosis in pigeons. The differences observed among the four breeds of birds showed little correlation with age, sex, diet, or physical activity.