Much-loved songbird threatened by mosquito-borne virus - British Trust for Ornithology
One of the UK’s favourite garden birds, the Blackbird, is in rapid decline, and members of the public are being asked to help scientists find out why.
For hundreds of years, this familiar bird has been celebrated by poets, painters, and songwriters, but now this popular songster of town and country is in danger of becoming scarcer in many of its former haunts. The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) has launched a survey to work out why.
Concerns about the common garden bird’s well being have been raised in recent years as birdwatchers have reported fewer Blackbirds in their gardens, especially in the Greater London area since 2020. This decline has been linked to the recent appearance of a mosquito-borne virus affecting the species in England.
First detected in the UK in London in summer 2020, Usutu virus is potentially fatal to Blackbirds and now concerns are growing as the virus appears to have started to spread across south-east England. First identified in South Africa, the virus has been present in mainland Europe for three decades. Its spread has been linked to climate change, and with native UK mosquitoes that can transmit the virus during warmer times of the year.
Now scientists are trying to better understand the extent and spread of Usutu virus and what the potential impacts might be for the UK’s Blackbirds.
Posted On: 03/06/2024
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