Eco-Virological Approach for Assessing the Role of Wild Birds in the Spread of Avian Influenza H5N1 along the Central Asian Flyway

A unique pattern of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 outbreaks has emerged along the Central Asia Flyway, where infection of wild birds has been reported with steady frequency since 2005. We assessed the potential for two hosts of HPAI H5N1, the bar-headed goose (Anser indicus) and ruddy shelduck (Tadorna tadorna), to act as agents for virus dispersal along this ‘thoroughfare’.

IWC Annual National Totals (African-Eurasian Region 2009-2011)

 Overview of IWC in the African-Eurasian region 2011 and annual national totals (2009-2011) 

AEWC Newsletter 1 - October 2011

 1st newsletter for the combined AfWC and WPWC.

Guidance on waterbird monitoring methodology:

This publication provides a methodological framework for enhancing the monitoring of migratory and wintering waterbirds in the Black Sea coastal region of Georgia, Turkey and Ukraine.

Wintering Waterbird Census in the Azov- Black Sea Coastal Wetlands of Ukraine, Georgia and Turkey

This report provides results of gap analysis of IWC in coastal wetlands of Georgia, Turkey and Ukraine, first of all in relation to current status of its methodology and infrastructure, as well as to present count data for key coastal wetlands.

AfWC Newsletter - July 2011

This is an annual update for all those involved in the African Waterbird Census. The newsletter is available in French and English. 

Cool Tool

The article highlights the uses of the Critical Site Network tool for african birders in a playful and easy to read way.

Analysis of information sources on waterbird migration in the Azov–Black Sea region of Ukraine:

The Azov–Black Sea area of Ukraine is annually used by millions of waterbirds as a stopover during their spring and autumn migrations. The first step towards development of a migratory waterbird monitoring
system is an overview of existing information, which includes three main blocks – scientific publications, results of waterbird counts during migration seasons and recoveries of ringed birds. The results of this
analysis are presented in this book.

Implementing telemetry on new species in remote areas

This article provides recommendations for implementing telemetry studies on waterfowl on the basis of our experience in a tracking study conducted in three countries of sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of the study was to document movements by duck species identified as priority candidates for the potential spread of avian influenza.

Migratory movements of waterfowl in Central Asia and avian influenza emergence

In this study, historical data derived from over 80 years of bird ringing are combined with recent satellite tracking data to delineate migration routes, movement chronology and habitat use patterns of waterfowl in relation to H5N1 outbreak locations. Results confirm migratory linkage between breeding and moulting areas in northern Kazakhstan and southern Siberia, with nonbreeding areas in the Caspian, Black and eastern Mediterranean Sea basins, as well as with South Asia. 

Руководство по методологии мониторинга водоплавающих птиц: общие подходы к организации и проведению учетов

Flamingo Bulletin, Issue 18 March 2011

Lee, R., Arengo, F. & Bechet, A. (eds.). 2011. Flamingo, Bulletin of the IUCN-SSC/Wetlands
International Flamingo Specialist Group, No. 18. Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, Slimbridge, UK.

Low pathogenic avian influenza H5N2 virus in wild birds in Nigeria in Africa.

We monitored avian influenza in wild and domestic birds in two different regions in Nigeria to investigate the presence and persistence of avian influenza virus in African birds. We found low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) H5N2 viruses in three spur-winged geese (Plectropterus gambensis) in the Hadejia–Nguru wetlands. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that all of the genes, except the non-structural (NS) genes, of the LPAI H5N2 viruses were more closely related to genes recently found in wild and domestic birds in Europe.

Results of the Autumn 2010 Migratory Waterbird Counts in the Azov-Black Sea Coastal Wetlands of Ukraine, Georgia and Turkey

This publication presents the results of the first simultaneous waterbird counts at key coastal wetlands in Ukraine, Georgia and Turkey

Flying over an infected landscape: distribution of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 risk in South Asia and satellite tracking of wild waterfowl.

This study suggests that the continental-scale dynamics of HPAI H5N1 are structured as a number of persistence areas delineated by domestic ducks, connected by rare transmission through migratory waterfowl.