although migratory waterfowl is well known to be a major reservoir for avian influenza virus (aiv), there are only few recently published reports about the seroprevalence of aiv in this group of birds. to investigate the aiv antibody status in migratory waterfowl of iran, we collected 217 serum samples from 25 different species of waterfowl during 2003 and 2004. these serum samples were tested ...

Selecting a nest site is an important decision for waterfowl. Because most nest failure is due to depredation, the primary selective pressure in choosing a nest site should be to reduce depredation risk. This task is dif cult, however, because predators use differing tactics to locate nests, such as olfactory or visual cues. The purpose of this research was to evaluate both the olfactory and vi...

In the spring of 1975, many species of waterfowl and common crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) were found dead in Phelps County, Nebraska. About 25,000 water fowl and at least 3,000 crows died in the epornitic. Few waterfowl were seen dying, but the crows experienced a chronic illness during which they became debilitated and were lethargic and dyspneic. Gross and microscopic lesions in the waterfowl...

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus subtype H5N1 threatens poultry production and human health. Understanding the role that migratory waterfowl play in introducing and maintaining this infection is critical to control the outbreaks. A study was conducted to determine if the occurrence of HPAI subtype H5N1 outbreaks in village poultry in Romania, 2005-2006, was associated with proximi...

To understand the role of migratory birds in the movement and transmission of haematozoa within and between continental regions, we examined 804 blood samples collected from eleven endemic species of South American waterfowl in Peru and Argentina for infection by Haemoproteus, Plasmodium, and/or Leucocytozoon blood parasites. Infections were detected in 25 individuals of six species for an over...

PREFACE The process of setting waterfowl hunting regulations is conducted annually in the United States (Blohm 1989). This process involves a number of meetings where the status of waterfowl is reviewed by the agencies responsible for setting hunting regulations. In addition, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) publishes proposed regulations in the Federal Register to allow public commen...

Background: A number of conservation and societal issues require understanding how species are distributed on the landscape, yet ecologists are often faced with a lack of data to develop models at the resolution and extent desired, resulting in inefficient use of conservation resources. Such a situation presented itself in our attempt to develop waterfowl distribution models as part of a multi-...

The highly pathogenic avian influenza subtype H5N1 (HPAI H5N1) is a worldwide zoonotic infectious disease, threatening humans, poultry and wild birds. The role of wild birds in the spread of HPAI H5N1 has previously been investigated by comparing disease spread patterns with bird migration routes. However, the different roles that the southward autumn and northward spring migration might play i...