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A mosquito-borne disease that has recently emerged in the UK has spread rapidly, prompting scientists to investigate the potential risks to native bird populations. The Usutu virus, which can be transmitted by infected mosquitoes to blackbirds, has raised concerns for the well-being of these beloved songbirds.
According to recent data, Usutu has spread extensively across southern England in just five years, coinciding with a decline in some blackbird populations. Scientists are closely monitoring the situation, as climate change may enable mosquitoes and the diseases they carry to expand their reach.
To better understand the impact of the Usutu virus on blackbird populations, scientists are encouraging people with blackbirds in their gardens to participate in a special counting system. The British Trust for Ornithology explained: ” The Blackbirds in Gardens project will help us understand how Blackbirds use gardens, and the potential effects of the Usutu virus on their population in the UK. “.
Those interested in participating can sign up here. The BTO added: “If you have access to a garden, have an interest in garden birds and can recognise a Blackbird by sight, then this survey could be for you!” The survey, which has just launched, will run until September this year.
The project is part of the Vector-Borne RADAR initiative, a collaboration with the Animal and Plant Health Agency, the UK Health Security Agency, and the Zoological Society of London.
“We’ve seen that the virus has spread further than we thought it might do, and it’s persisted,” Dr Arran Folly from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) informed the BBC. The APHA experts based in Weybridge, Surrey, have been keeping a close eye on mosquito-borne diseases in wild birds for years, amidst growing concerns that climate change is turning Europe into a potential breeding ground for these pests.
Longer summers, rising temperatures and heavy rainfall are creating an environment conducive for these bothersome insects to infiltrate areas previously unsuitable for them. Until 2020, all test results were negative.
However, following the heatwave in the summer of that year, Usutu was identified in several blackbirds in Greater London. “Blackbirds specifically are quite susceptible to the virus and since 2020 we’ve found a decline in blackbirds of approximately 40% in Greater London,” revealed Dr Folly.
“It gives an indication that in the future we might get other viruses that are transmitted by mosquitoes emerging in the UK.”
Diseases like Usutu pose an increasing threat to wild birds, alongside a range of other challenges, including habitat loss, climate change and pesticide use.
What is Usutu?
The Usutu virus was first identified over fifty years ago near southern Africa’s Usutu River.
It has since spread globally, reaching Europe three decades ago, and was detected for the first time in the UK in 2020.
Blackbirds are notably vulnerable to the virus, which can also affect horses and occasionally humans.
The virus is generally considered low risk to humans, with no reported cases in the UK thus far.
Recent data reveals that Usutu has spread more extensively than scientists anticipated.
It has now been found in wild birds across a large portion of southern England, reaching as far west as Dorset and as far north as Cambridgeshire.
The exact threat Usutu poses to wild birds remains unclear. The virus has been associated with mass blackbird fatalities in other parts of Europe, but this doesn’t appear to be the case in the UK.
The blackbird continues to be one of the most common garden birds, with stable populations in many regions, particularly in rural areas and the north.
To solve this mystery and gather more information on blackbird numbers, scientists have partnered with the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO).
They’re seeking volunteers to count blackbirds in their gardens over the summer months to learn more.
During this season, blackbirds are actively breeding and rearing their young. They can often be seen hopping along the ground or singing from tree branches on balmy summer evenings.
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