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October 21, 2005
BIRD FLU - Waterbird culls and wetland drainage could worsen spread of Avian Influenza, BirdLife warns
BirdLIfe International today warned that hasty responses to Avian Influenza based on incomplete or unsound data could do great damage to birds and other biodiversity, while actually raising the risk to people and to the economically important poultry industry. BirdLife International’s Partners throughout Europe, such as the RSPB (BirdLife in the UK), are working or preparing to work with their governments to monitor migratory wild bird populations and to provide scientific data and expert guidance.
Recent outbreaks of the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza [2] in Europe have occurred along migratory flyways (including the Danube delta, a great gathering place for migratory waterbird) during the autumn migration. There is no concrete evidence that migratory birds have helped transmit the disease between countries or regions, but the possibility cannot be ruled out.
The spread of H5N1 within and beyond South-east Asia appears attributable to movements of infected poultry [3, 4, 5]. The patterns of spread are not consistent with the timing and direction of movements of wild birds
BirdLife International strongly opposes any suggestion that wild birds should be culled as a way of controlling the spread of the disease, on grounds of practicality and effectiveness, as well as conservation. Any such attempts could spread the virus more widely, as survivors disperse to new places, and healthy birds become stressed and more prone to infection. The World Health Organisation, Food and Agriculture Organisation and OIE (the World Organisation for Animal Health) agree that control of avian influenza in wild birds by culling is not feasible, and should not be attempted.
Similarly, attempts to drain wetlands to keep waterbirds away are also likely to be counterproductive, as well as disastrous for the environment, the conservation of threatened species, and for vital ecosystem services such as flood control and water cleansing. Birds will seek alternative staging places and waterbirds forced to fly further and endure more crowded conditions along their migration route will be more prone to infection. Some Asian and Middle Eastern governments are reported to be already formulating proposals for draining wetlands.
The most efficient control techniques involve improved biosecurity, to reduce the likelihood of contact between poultry and wild birds or infected water sources. Further measures include stricter controls or even bans on movements of domestic poultry, and on wild bird markets. Countries should also ban imports of wild-caught birds from infected areas. Such measures should be introduced worldwide.
BirdLife International therefore welcomes the recommendations by the European Commission that surveillance and biosecurity measures at poultry farms in the European Union should be strengthened, and that the Member States and experts have been advised to increase resources and efforts to monitor migratory bird species.
“We would like to offer our expertise in the Member States through our Partners and invite the EU state administrations to contact our Partners in country for help especially with the wild bird monitoring programmes,” said Dr Clairie Papazoglou, BirdLife International’s Head of EU Policy,.
BirdLife International’s Director of Science, Dr Leon Bennun, stressed the importance of informed and balanced judgement in responses to the threat of avian influenza, and in the public dissemination of information about it. “It is important that discussions of the issues relating to avian influenza should differentiate between the real problems caused by the spread of the disease within bird populations, especially within the poultry industry, and the theoretical risks of a human pandemic.”
Posted by Surfbirds at 04:26 AM | Comments (0)
October 15, 2005
Taxonomic changes to the British List
The following recommendations relating to the taxonomy of birds on the British List will take immediate effect with the publication of the BOURC Taxonomic Subcommittee’s (BOURC TSC) report in Ibis (Ibis 147: 821-826)..
The items are summarised below, but for full details of each item please see the full paper (attached PDF) or online at
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1474-919X.2005.00483.x
Canada Goose Branta canadensis
Now treated as two separate species:
· Greater Canada Goose B. canadensis (polytypic, with subspecies canadensis, fulva, interior, maxima, moffitti, occidentalis and parvipes)
· Lesser Canada Goose B. hutchinsii (polytypic, with subspecies hutchinsii, leucopareia, minima and taverneri)
Greater Canada Goose is on Category C of the British List.
A paper on Canada goose taxonomy is in preparation.
Greater Scaup Aythya marila
Treat as polytypic (previously monotypic), with subspecies A. m. marila and A. m. nearctica. The subspecies that occurs in Britain is A. m. marila.
Common Scoter Melanitta nigra
Treat as two separate species:
· Common Scoter M. nigra (monotypic)
· Black Scoter M. americana (monotypic).
Both species are on Category A of the British List.
Velvet Scoter Melanitta fusca
Treat as two separate species:
· Velvet Scoter M. fusca (monotypic)
· White-winged Scoter M. deglandi (polytypic, with subspecies deglandi and stejnegeri).
Velvet Scoter is on Category A of the British List.
Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata
Treat as monotypic.
Little Shearwater Puffinus assimilis
The three forms breeding in the tropical and subtropical parts of the Atlantic Ocean (P. l. lherminieri, P. a. baroli, P. a. boydi) that were included in this study formed a monophyletic group which is not closely related to the other forms of the complex (including nominate P. a. assimilis).
The three tropical and subtropical Atlantic taxa are best treated as two species:
· Macaronesian Shearwater P. baroli (polytypic, with subspecies baroli and boydi)
· Audubon’s Shearwater P. lherminieri (monotypic)
Macaronesian Shearwater P. b. baroli is on Category A of the British List (replacing Little Shearwater P. assimilis).
The taxonomic status of P. b. boydi remains under consideration pending study of recently collected sound recordings of that taxon.
Western Palearctic taxa of Aquila and Hieraaetus
Western Palearctic species to be treated as follows:
· Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga
· Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina
· Booted Eagle Aquila pennata
· Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos
· Verreauxs’ Eagle Aquila verreauxii
· Bonelli’s Eagle Aquila fasciata
· Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis
· Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax
· Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca
· Spanish Imperial Eagle Aquila adalbertii
Two of these species are currently on the British List: Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga (Category B) and Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos (Category A). In addition, Booted Eagle Aquila pennata is included in Category D.
Herring Gull Larus argentatus
The combined evidence of morphology, vocalisations and molecular phylogenetics strongly indicates that L. a. michahellis (incl. atlantis), L. a. armenicus and L. a. argentatus (incl. argenteus) are best treated as separate species:
· Yellow-legged Gull L. michahellis (polytypic)
· Armenian Gull L. armenicus (monotypic)
· Herring Gull L. argentatus (polytypic)
Herring Gull and Yellow-legged Gull are on Category A of the British List.
The taxonomic status of L. a. smithsonianus and L. a. cachinnans is still under review. Diagnosability and differentiation of taxa such as these are central to taxonomic decisions, and the BOU recognises the important contribution that field birders can make in developing identification criteria. However, decisions cannot be based solely on knowledge gained from extralimital records of birds of unknown origin, such as most of the British occurring Caspian Gulls. TSC has purposely taken its time over this issue, as it was known that research was still underway, and it was essential to be in full possession of the facts before attempting to resolve the ‘large white-headed gull’ situation. A paper is in preparation that will describe the reasoning behind the current splits, and the problems that still need to be resolved.
A useful summary of the taxonomic literature on the Larus argentatus - fuscus complex up to 2001 was published by Dubois (2002. Dutch Birding 24: 271-298).
Generic limits of terns
The species on the British List should be listed in the following sequence (note change in scientific names of some species):
· Aleutian Tern Onychoprion aleutica
· Sooty Tern Onychoprion fuscata
· Bridled Tern Onychoprion anaethetus
· Little Tern Sternula albifrons
· Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica
· Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia
· Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida
· Black Tern Chlidonias niger
· White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus
· Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis
· Royal Tern Sterna maxima
· Lesser Crested Tern Sterna bengalensis
· Forster’s Tern Sterna forsteri
· Common Tern Sterna hirundo
· Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii
· Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea
Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica
Treat as monotypic.
Generic limits of swallows
The species on the British List should be listed in the following sequence (note changes to some scientific names):
· Sand Martin Riparia riparia
· Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor
· Eurasian Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne rupestris
· Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
· House Martin Delichon urbicum
· Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica
· Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
Richard’s Pipit Anthus novaeseelandiae
It is recommended that this taxon be treated as a monotypic species:
· Richard’s Pipit A. richardi (monotypic).
Richard’s Pipit is in category A of the British List.
Pallas’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus proregulus
To be treated as monotypic.
Firecrest Regulus ignicapilla
On the basis of diagnostic differences in both morphology and vocal signals, together with significant genetic divergence it is recommended that madeirensis be treated as a separate species.
· Firecrest R. ignicapilla (polytypic, with subspecies ignicapilla, balearicus)
· Madeira Firecrest R. madeirensis (monotypic).
Only Firecrest is on the British List. A paper on the taxonomy of Regulus will appear in due course.
Generic limits of tits
The species on the British List should be listed in the following sequence (note changes to some scientific names):
· Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus
· Great Tit Parus major
· Crested Tit Lophophanes cristatus
· Coal Tit Periparus ater
· Willow Tit Poecile montanus
· Marsh Tit Poecile palustris
Citation: Sangster, G., Collinson, J.M., Helbig, A.J, Knox, A.G. & Parkin, D.T. 2005. Taxonomic recommendations for British Birds: third report. Ibis 147: 821-826..
For further information, you can contact any of the following –
Martin Collinson, BOURC-TSC Tel 01 224 555 750 Email bourc-tsc@bou.org.uk
Tim Melling, Secretary, BOURC Tel 01 484 861 148 Email bourc.sec@bou.org.uk
Steve Dudley, BOU Administrator Tel 01 733 844 820 Email steve.dudley@bou.org.uk
Posted by Surfbirds at 07:42 AM | Comments (0)
Scrapped Taiwanese Longline Vessels a boon for Sea Turtles
Environmentalists and Scientists Urge the UN and Other Nations to Follow Suit with a Moratorium in the Pacific
The Taiwanese government has just announced that it will dismantle 120 tuna longline vessels, about 5% of its fleet. Environmentalists are praising this reduction in the largest longline fleet in the Pacific as a boon for sea turtles which are injured and killed by longlines in large numbers in the Pacific ocean.
"Longline fishing is costly, inefficient and damages tuna fisheries. There are just far too many boats chasing too few fish and killing far too many sea turtles," said Robert Ovetz, PhD, Save the Leatherback Campaign Coordinator.
It is estimated that more than 1.4 billion longline hooks are set in the world's oceans every year. Longline fishing is a technique in which thousands of baited hooks are strung on monofilament lines stretching as far as 60 miles. Taiwan has the largest number of longline vessels in the Pacific with an estimated 2,113 vessels in the Pacific alone. Japan, which has the second largest longline fleet in the Pacific, has also followed suit with reductions in recent years. This summer, The U.S. even banned fishing for Pacific bigeye tuna for the rest of the year because of overfishing.
"Fewer hooks means fewer turtles, sharks, seabirds, billfish and marine mammals will be killed. This is urgently needed if we are to turn around the descent of sea turtles and albatross seabirds into extinction," Ovetz added..
Recent scientific reports warn that the 100 million year old Pacific leatherback sea turtles, whose female nesting population has collapsed by 95% since 1980, could go extinct in the next decade. Nineteen species of seabirds, including the black-footed albatross, are also threatened with extinction by longlines. An estimated 4.4 million turtles, sharks, seabirds, billfish and marine mammals are injured and killed every year by longlines in the Pacific. Other reports have pinpointed longline fishing as causing an 87-99% decline in large pelagic fish in the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific.
1,007 international scientists from 97 countries are urging the UN to implement a moratorium on longline fishing in the Pacific Ocean to prevent the extinction of the critically endangered leatherback sea turtle. The scientists are joined by 281 non-governmental rganizations from 62 countries. The list of signers includes famed primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall, biologist E.O. Wilson, oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle, a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, and former U.S. astronaut Bernard Harris, Jr. M.D.
"While a good first step, a moratorium is needed in order to have time to put into place further reductions in fishing capacity and other conservation measures, such as time and area closures, eductions in subsidies, 100% observer coverage and controls on illegal fishing," Ovetz said.
The Sea Turtle Restoration Project is a California-based international marine conservation organization that works to protect sea turtles and other marine species in the United States and in countries around the world. For more information about sea turtles and the Sea Turtle Restoration Project, please visit: www.seaturtles.org and www.savetheleatherback.com
SEA TURTLE RESTORATION PROJECT
POB 400/40 Montezuma Avenue =80 Forest Knolls, CA 94933 USA
Ph. +1 415 488 0370 ext. 106=80 Fax +1 415 488 0372
robert@seaturtles.org =80 www.seaturtles.org
Posted by Surfbirds at 07:33 AM | Comments (0)
October 14, 2005
Avian Influenza and Birdwatchers
Over the last few weeks, many birdwatchers will have become aware of considerable media interest in the subject of avian influenza or 'bird flu', following outbreaks in central Asia and the Black Sea region of the highly pathogenic type of the H5N1 virus strain which developed within poultry.
Representatives of BTO, WWT, RSPB and JNCC have been involved in discussions with the relevant government agencies, principally to advise on the latest knowledge of the origins of birds wintering in the UK, migration routes and timing, and bird distributions within the UK. Such information is derived in large part from the hard work of volunteers working on schemes such as the BTO Ringing Scheme and the BTO/WWT/RSPB/JNCC Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS). We have also remained in close contact with international colleagues.
The overall assessment is that the chance of this strain of the virus being carried to the UK by a migrating bird is currently low (and perhaps much less than the chance of transmission via illegally imported poultry). In addition, even if the highly pathogenic form of H5N1 avian influenza did make it to the UK, it is important to note that there are no known cases of transmission from wild birds to humans. In south-east Asia, the virus has spread (infrequently) to humans as a result of people coming into close contact with infected poultry within the context of the confined proximities of poultry farms. Thus, the risk to human health from wild birds carrying avian influenza would currently appear to be very low.
Nevertheless, it is clearly sensible to keep the situation under review. A number of organisations are working together to deliver a national surveillance programme for wild birds on behalf of Defra (for further details see http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/disease/ai/index.htm.) This will include enhanced monitoring for sick or dead birds, coupled with a programme of taking faecal samples from a) apparently healthy live birds, and b) birds shot as part of legal wildfowling activities.
As part of this process, we would ask birdwatchers in the field to keep an eye out for any suspicious cases of large-scale mortality or sickness amongst wild birds. Waterbirds are potentially among the most vulnerable wild birds. Obviously, all birdwatchers encounter dead birds occasionally, almost all due to perfectly natural causes, so use your common sense. However, if you should come across an incident that seems out of the ordinary, this should be reported via the Defra Helpline on 08459 335577. Calls would then be referred to more local laboratories. Specialists at the labs would then make an assessment on what further action, if any, should be taken.
Although there have been no proven cases of humans catching the disease from wild birds, the virus is spread through nasal secretions and faeces so please do not touch sick birds or carcasses in the event of a suspicious die-off. Note that separate guidelines have been provided to ringers and these will be made available to anyone else who regularly handles wild birds. In general, however, to guard against a wide variety of illness including avian influenza it is always prudent to exercise basic hygiene (e.g. washing hands with soap, especially before eating) when coming into close contact with wild animals.
At a time when there is a lot of misinformation circulating on this issue, it is essential to keep matters in perspective and to sift fact from fiction. We reiterate that, to the best of our current knowledge, we consider the chance of wild birds bringing highly pathogenic H5N1 to the UK to be low and the potential for onwards transmission from wild birds to people to be very low. Obviously, however, we are continuing to monitor the situation and if there are any further developments we will communicate these widely, in the first instance via organisational web-sites.
BTO, WWT, RSPB, JNCC
Posted by Surfbirds at 03:53 AM | Comments (0)
October 13, 2005
Sir David Attenborough And Round-The-World Yachtsmen Support Global Campaign To Save The Albatross
World-renowned broadcaster and naturalist, Sir David Attenborough, and the organisers of the world’s premier ocean sailing challenge – The Volvo Ocean Race - are announcing their support for BirdLife International’s Save the Albatross campaign.
Wandering Albatross, New Zealand, Kaikoura Jan 2003 © Mark Andrews from the Surfbirds Galleries
The RSPB, the UK partner of BirdLife International, is launching a website www.savethealbatross.net as part of the campaign to raise funds in support of Operation Ocean Task Force.
This exciting new initiative will place trained people on longline fishing vessels to show the crews simple and practical techniques to prevent seabird deaths. Around 100,000 albatrosses a year – approximately one every five minutes – drown when taking bait from hooks suspended on longlines up to 130km long. As a result, 19 of the world’s 21 species of albatross are now threatened with global extinction.
Hanging streamers near fishing lines to scare birds away, weighting lines to make hooks sink more quickly and dyeing bait to make it less visible to seabirds, are all extremely simple, yet proven, techniques to avoid the needless slaughter of albatrosses.
Shy Albatross, South Africa, Pelagic trip off Simon's Town July 2005 © Vincent Palomares from the Surfbirds Galleries
Sir David Attenborough, Vice President of the RSPB, said: "Albatrosses have survived in the harshest marine environments for 50 million years; more than 100 times longer than our own species. However, these magnificent birds are unable to cope with man-made threats, such as longline fishing.
"Europeans saw their first albatrosses only 500 years ago in the Southern Ocean, but in our fleeting overlap with these birds we are threatening all but two of the world’s 21 species with extinction.
"It is awe-inspiring to think that some of the albatrosses nesting when I started my broadcasting career are still raising young, half a century later. However, with 100,000 of these birds drowning annually on longlines, the chance of an individual albatross surviving to old age now, seems as remote as the ability of many albatross species to exist beyond the end of this century.
"Albatrosses should be free to circle the globe for millions of years to come – we must stop this needless slaughter now to prevent an entire branch being torn from the evolutionary tree. It is unthinkable that the only record we will have of these birds will be the attempts of broadcasters, like myself, to share the beauty of our natural world."
The organisers of the forthcoming Volvo Ocean Race, who are officially adopting the Save the Albatross campaign have echoed Sir David Attenborough’s endorsement of the campaign.
The Volvo Ocean Race 2005-2006, which has adopted the Save the Albatross Campaign, will leave Vigo, in northern Spain, on 12 November and will finish in Gothenburg, Sweden, next June, after completing a circumnavigation of the planet. During the Southern Ocean legs of the race, the crews will pass through some of the richest albatross waters in the world.
Glenn Bourke, Volvo Ocean Race’s Chief Executive, said: "Long before Man took to the oceans, albatrosses were mastering the elements to navigate the Southern Ocean. Their grace, beauty and remarkable endurance has inspired generations of sailors in their quest towards new horizons. As a racing sailor myself, I cannot imagine the loneliness of crossing the Southern Ocean without being accompanied by these fellow ocean voyagers. Yet, within the lifetime of many sailors - perhaps even my own – that will be the case if we don’t act now."
Graham Wynne, the RSPB’s Chief Executive, said: "Round-the-world yachtsmen are among the few people lucky enough to witness the grace, beauty and endurance of these magnificent birds in the element they have made their own.
"Most people will never see an albatross, but they will be shocked by the fact that up to sixty-thousand will drown on the end of longline fishing hooks by the time competitors finish the Volvo Ocean Race in Gothenburg next year. We urge everyone who cares about the loss of these charismatic birds to visit our website and support our campaign to ensure albatrosses have a future.
"The Volvo Ocean Race provides a worldwide platform to highlight this appalling slaughter – with this global support we have a real chance to save these magnificent birds. The race is on!"
For further information on BirdLife International’s Save the Albatross campaign please log on to: www.savethealbatross.net
Posted by Surfbirds at 03:58 AM | Comments (0)
Changes to Category C of the British List
With the publication of the Committee‚s review of Category C (Ibis 147: 803-819) the following changes to the British List take immediate effect:
Mute Swan Cygnus olor Categories AC change to AC2
Black Swan Cygnus atratus Category E* - no change
Greylag Goose Anser anser Categories ACE* change to AC2C4E*
Snow Goose Anser caerulescens Categories AE* change to AC2E*
Greater Canada Goose Branta canadensis Categories ACE* change to C2E*
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis Categories AE* change to AC2E*
Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiacus Categories CE* change to C1E*
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea Categories BDE* - no change
Muscovy Duck Cairina moschata Category E* - alert JNCC
Wood Duck Aix sponsa Category E* - no change
Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata Categories CE* change to C1E*
Gadwall Anas strepera Category A change to AC2
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Categories AE* change to AC2C4E*
Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina Categories AE* change to AC2E*
Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis Categories CE* change to C1E*
Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix Categories AE ˆ no change
Western Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus Categories BC change BC3
Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa Categories CE* change to C1E*
Grey Partridge Perdix perdix Categories ACE change to AC2E
Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus Categories CE* change to C1E*
Golden Pheasant Chrysolophus pictus Categories CE* change to C1E*
Lady Amherst‚s Pheasant Chrysolophus amherstiae Categories CE* change to C6E*
Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax Categories AE* ˆ no change
Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus Category E ˆ no change
Red Kite Milvus milvus Categories AC change to AC3
White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla Categories ACE change to AC3E
Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis Categories AE* change to AC3E*
Rock/Feral Pigeon Columbia livia Categories AE* change to AC4E*
Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri Categories CE* change to C1E*
Barn Owl Tyto alba Categories AE* - no change
Little Owl Athene noctua Category C change to C1
NOTE ˆ the creation of Category C6 (Lady Amherst‚s Pheasant ˆ see paper).
A PDF copy of the Ibis paper is attached and can be viewed here
Posted by Surfbirds at 03:54 AM | Comments (0)
October 07, 2005
Spotted Crake on the Menu for Sparrowhawk
Birdwatchers at the London Wetland Centre last weekend were horrified when they witnessed a rare bird they had come to see being devoured by a Sparrowhawk in front of their eyes.
The Spotted Crake (Porzana porzana), a small diminutive member of the Rail family was first spotted at the centre on 25th September (one of 2 birds initially seen) and since then a steady stream of visitors arrived daily to see this rare spectacle. The last time this species was seen at the London Wetland Centre was in 1999, before the centre opened to the public.
Eye-witness Mike Waite described the moment this indistinct but alluring rarity met its fate: "It was last Saturday, 1st October, just after 4pm. A group of around a dozen visitors were watching the juvenile Spotted Crake through binoculars and telescopes as it obligingly fed out in the open along the muddy edge of the wader scrape.
All of a sudden WHACK! a handsome male Sparrowhawk swooped down and grabbed the bird in its talons. The latter struggled feebly for a short while, but the Sparrowhawk maintained its vice-like grip until flying off with its still twitching prey in its talons, into a tree on the Thames bank, to consume its rare victim.
Everyone in the hide was universally shocked, and outraged in a 'slaughter-of-the-innocents' kind of way! The Crake learned in the hardest possible way why its conspicuous behaviour was unbecoming of this species."
The London Wetland Centre commented: "It was quite a shock for visitors to see this rare bird come to such a violent end, but what they saw was evolution in action. The inexperienced juvenile Spotted Crake had been clearly visible for several days in the same area - it was only a matter of time before it came to the attention of a hungry predator. This experience shows why this species is normally shy and secretive!"
Posted by Surfbirds at 07:34 AM | Comments (0)