Indeed this seems so for at least Great Shearwater. Thank you for that link to the long-term study, Paul. Also, more study and surveying may be required on the potential spread of H5N1 into N. America, which detection is mainly quite-recent, and it is possible that the Anatidae (esp. certain duck and goose spp.) and perhaps Laridae (esp. some gull spp.) will be shown to have carried the avian flu over and around from place to place, more so than the true seabirds including tubenoses. Time and studies may show this; thus far, various duck spp. have been indicated as well as more-limited detections for some migratory geese. Gulls of some species may also be studied further.
The Manx Shearwater breeding in high numbers on Ireland to U.K. including Scotland has been shown affected by/mortalities from H5N1 avian flu. The same potential hazard may or may not be so for Cory’s Shearwater which breed somewhat farther south and for many many other seabird species of the N. Atlantic to near-Mediterranean etc. time and further study may tell. Incidental to the above, a Manx Shearwater out of Ireland was found to have lived to the age of ~ 55. Many seabirds are capable of extraordinarily long lives when healthy. It also can be added that populations of some seabirds, such as these particular shearwaters discussed may have quite-large populations - likely to 7-figures by some survey estimates for Manx Shearwater, more for some others; and however in some instances of less-common species of seabirds, small and increasingly-vulnerable populations on some islands or shores & etc.; many seabird spp. (some split taxonomically in recent era) have also gone extinct and others are in peril worldwide. Concern is high right now on many Irish, British, Scottish and other adjacent isles having seabird colonies, and where a lot of studies and surveying are ongoing. That high concern also applying to a variety of breeding species, including some of the auks (Puffins and others) and other birds, including N. Gannet as I had noted in the previous message. Studies are looking to find out which other colonial breeders and other birds may be affected &esp. at present in U.K. and Ireland. An while not at all directly-related, there is concern for ‘Blue’ or Little Penguin on the more-northerly breeding areas of that species, and for a variety of other penguin species, such as African Penguin, etc. due to changes / lessening in available prey items for many of these, esp. so in their most-northerly breeding localities where die-offs have been found; this obviously affecting far more than only some spp. of penguin in those southern-hemisphere areas. Locally on NY’s Atlantic waters, light onshore winds for a day or more ahead could show some additional seabirds from shore soon; perhaps that much more likely from dedicated boats. Please use any appropriate cautions and use personal disinfectant in situations where any zoonotic flu, etc. may be present, and take care to try and recognize any poss.-presumed tubenoses from such more-common spp. as gulls or others if any are found washed-up in poor condition on shores. (Note - P.R.S. asked about birds in decent condition in his note.) Tom Fiore manhattan - - - - - - - - > On Jun 20, 2022, at 9:25 AM, Paul R Sweet [AMNH] wrote: > Tom > While Avian Influenza is certainly ravaging seabird colonies in the North > Atlantic, I think the shearwater die off is not caused by this, at least I > have not heard of any of these birds testing positive for HPAI. I prepared an > good number of Great Shearwaters from the 2017 die off and they were all > emaciated first year birds on their first trip north form the South Atlantic > breeding islands. This is a fairly regular phenomenon, a good review can be > found here: https://www.carolinabirdclub.org/chat/issues/2009/v73n2grsh.pdf > <https://www.carolinabirdclub.org/chat/issues/2009/v73n2grsh.pdf> > > Again, if people find any pelagic birds in decent condition could you please > bag and freeze and I'll make arrangements to collect them. > Good birding, Paul > > -----Original Message----- > From: On Behalf Of Tom Fiore > Sent: Monday, June 20, 2022 5:56 AM > Subject: [nysbirds-l] avian influenza in Scotland, the U.S.A. (NYS), and > beyond, into June '22 > > Regarding **possible causes** of mortalities of dead (or dying) seabirds, > particularly shearwaters of at least several species seen just lately on the > Atlantic shores of (at least) New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and > possibly northward, which at-least anecdotally are now likely into the > many-hundreds for these states, in just recent weeks (if not recent days > alone) - > > There is what has been termed (by the Government of Great Britain, and the by > Government of Scotland) *HPAI* (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza) affecting > in particular there, the northern coastal area of Scotland, and also other > areas of the U.K. **This note is to do with wild birds.** Some estimates > are that the world's largest breeding-population (or 'colony'; estimates of > total recent numbers run to 150,000 of this one species at the site) of > Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) - located in the Firth of Forth Scotland > (U.K.) have been very-much affected by the H5N1 avian flu, with reports > noting "hundreds" (possibly now into the thousands for all of U.K.) of N. > Gannets dead or dying there by early June, and sadly this has been ongoing > there. Various other breeding seabirds at U.K. colonies are being seen as > affected by this and these have included birds such as some loons ("divers" > in the U.K.) and skua, as well as other groups of strong-flying species. > That same avian flu has been affecting birds in Europe and beyond. [N.B., > the Bass Rock (Scotland) gannetry has inspired a much-read monograph on that > species published in the U.K.] > > This "H.P.A.I." is usually or regularly also referred to as H5N1 avian flu > and has been documented in at least 35 states in the U.S.A. as of June '22. > Potentially affected species are many, - - - [snip] -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
