A deadly invasion from the skies?
Migrating birds could help spread Avian flu
As a wary world waits to see if the notorious bird flu virus will explode in a deadly pandemic, scientists are keeping their eyes on the skies.
Why?
Migrating birds.
With their ability to fly thousands of miles, they often come into contact with other birds from countries that might have been touched by the deadly flu virus. And that has scientists scrambling to keep a close watch on the wild bird population. Consider these ongoing efforts:
- In Alaska, testing is going on for thousands of birds who will have passed through the state, which is a magnet for ducks, geese, sandpipers and other species that gorge on its insects. In fact, the state is the crossroads of three of the world‘s great migratory flyways. Birds from Asia and North America mingle here, winging across continents to find the perfect bird nursery.
“The opportunity for movement of the virus is probably stronger here than anywhere else in North America,” said Kevin Winker, an associate professor and curator of birds at the University of Alaska Museum in Fairbanks.
Winker has been testing birds for bird flu since 1998, drawn here by the chance to study more than 450 different bird species.
But in the past, Winker and his colleagues have tested about 1,500 to 3,000 birds a year. This year‘s tally was expected to reach 20,000.
