Watt Poultry The spread of avian influenza by wild birds is affected by migration pattern and species, however, more research is needed to understand the impact of the virus on wild bird populations.
The nature of wild bird species and their behaviors should drive the poultry industry’s understanding of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses, a subtype of influenza A viruses, in wild bird populations, according to University of Minnesota Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Professor Dr. Carol Cardona.
“Migration is a critical avian behavior for influenza ecology,” she stated during the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology’s (CAST) webinar titled “HPAI and Its Impact on Food Production Industries.”
During migration, groups of birds are constructed, deconstructed and reconstructed, Cardona explained. Birds come together into groups for breeding before migrations begins. If the virus exists in one of those birds, multiple will have it after the breeding period is over.