sentences:  Molecular tools have directed classification towards a phylogenetic definition of lineages, based on sequence divergence and the range of hosts in which the parasite can be found.The diversity of avian malaria parasites and other haemosporidia is extremely large, and previous studies have found that the number of parasites approximates the number of hosts, with significant host switching events and parasite sharing.The current approach suggests amplification of the cytochrome b gene of the parasite and the reconstruction of genealogies based on this information.