The aim of the study was to compare the basic haematological parameters in peripheral blood of captive Japanese quail employed as model organisms for research in cosmic biology. In the first experimental series, red blood cell count (RBC), white blood cell count (WBC), haemoglobin concentration, and erythrocytic indices, i. e. mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) of 207 clinically healthy birds of both sexes was studied. The quail were kept in groups in cages under standard laboratory conditions. In the second series, 55 female individuals exposed to experimental hypodynamy (birds suspended in a special device) for up to 90 days were used. A total of 262 blood samples were analyzed for haematological parameters, and 5629 haematological data were evaluated using variation statistics. Analysis of the first series made possible to establish a range of physiological values of RBC and WBC counts with significant (P < 0.05) sex differences in RBC counts. In general, the blood of these birds showed a high oxygenating capacity and a remarkable lymphocytic character. Haematological parameters of quail females exposed to artificial hypodynamy for 60 days remained unaffected. However, by the end of this exposure lasting for 90 days, a mild decrease occurred in some indices. It can be concluded that japanese quail have shown an excellent adaptation ability and can serve as a suitable model organism for the study of cosmic physiology.
