Frigatebirds, skuas and gulls are the “pirates of the seabird world” that hijack meals from different species through kleptoparasitism. While effective, this behavior could also lead to the global spread of the and occasionally fatal avian flu virus among seabird populations.
Stealing from the thief: Kleptoparasitism
Stealing and scavenging to find food is not common, but for sea birds it is a fact of life on the open ocean. Frigatebirds, skuas, and gulls excel at this practice ambush other seabirds in a display of speed enabled by their size and strength to force another bird to throw up or lose the fruit of its labor.
The ‘pirate birds’, what is known as kleptoparasitism, represent a top strategy. Brutal but presumably effective, this method also carries a huge risk: the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus could be dispersed. These so-called ‘pirate birds’ do not hunt for their food, they get it from other seabirds instead. They often are found at breeding sites waiting for a weary parent to return from the sea with a meal in its mouth so that they can take it.
Avian Flu’s Deadly Spread
The new highly pathogenic avian influenza virus, HPAI H5N1 2.3.4.4b., is spreading quickly throughout the world and has already caused death of at least 280 million wild birds across the globe. Of the various feedings, this kleptoparasitic behavior is especially likely to affect seabirds, including petrels and albatrosses.
A great skua bullies a gannet into regurgitating its dinner and gets a fish in gannet snot sauce. That saliva out of the gannet will most likely be higher viral load if your gannet possesses the malware. This flying death is carried thousands of miles, and from the polar regions down into tropics where these avian ‘pirate birds’ talk their way in to other nests and continually re-infect their mates, chicks, and other seabirds (immuno-compromised due to lack of tropical food sources). This would also mean we might have outbreaks in completely different populations or region, even hundreds to thousands of kilometers apart.
Conclusion
The synergistic effects of kleptoparasitism and highly pathogenic avian influenza virus on seabirds pose a great challenge to the global seabird population. The spread of this new strain of flu has triggered a frantic monitoring effort focused on these “pirate” birds in an attempt to identify signs of disease, and to try to slow the virus’ march. Solving these linked challenges is also going to be key to saving seabirds, and so the health of our islands and seas.
