Some seabirds that are foods of other birds practicing Kleptoparasitism are carriers of H5N1 avian influenza, according to the researchers. The discovery raises worries of the virus’s effect on at-risk seabird populations and its potential to spread worldwide.
The Danger Of Avian Flu To Shorebirds
Beginning in 2021, bird populations worldwide have been decimated by a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus known as H5N1. Norovirus is also known to infect people on occasion, something that should be far more alarming.
Seabirds have been particularly affected by the panzootic — a pandemic among animals, as described in the journal Conservation Letters. Marine species, which includes numerous numbers of wild seabirds who were observed dying from the virus while it appeared since 2001.
These birds mass together when they breed, resulting in close proximity and an increased probability of infection spreading amongst shared resources on densely populated breeding islands, the researchers say. Moreover several possible behavior of seabirds such as predation or scavenging infected ones, may help to the virus to spread within and among populations.
Kleptoparasitism as a Mechanism for Virus Transmission
A behavior that the researchers have identified as a possible route of transmission of the avian flu virus is known as kleptoparasitism — much practiced by seabirds, particularly frigatebirds and skuas.
And of course, kleptoparasitism is when a seabird bullies another bird with prey into disgorging its meal for them to swoop down and consume. The thinking goes that if the bird that a given feaster was victimizing is carrying H5N1, then the regurgitated morsel could be blanketed in a layer of saliva that’s laced with virus. And get this… that would infect the kleptoparasite, who would then likely also pass it on to other birds.
This means that they could also revert to being vectors for leishmaniasis, and possibly, the disease may extend to new populations in their natural cycle — commonly threatened and even previously unexposed areas. Additionally, because many seabirds undertake long-distance movements of tens of thousands of kilometers to feed and then breed at remote islands, the virus could potentially be transported over vast distances, amplifying the issue.
Conclusion
The fact that food-stealing behavior of seabirds can be an ecological trap for the avian influenza virus H5N1 is therefore critical information with relevance to conservation of these threatened bird populations. They emphasize the need for researchers and wildlife managers to continually assess and manage the threats of this pandemic as it spreads worldwide, particularly in regions where migratory kleptoparasitic species may introduce the virus into new areas. Through knowledge of likely pathways of transmission, we can better plan for and reduce the impact this crisis is having on seabirds and humans alike.
