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(e) = estimate; * = morbidity and mortality
*National Wildlife Health Center (NW); Illinois Department of Conservation (IL);
Maryland Department of Agriculture (MD); Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research - Newark, Deleware (TS);
Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study (SC); Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WI);
Rose Lake Wildlife Disease Laboratory - Michigan (RL); California Department of Fish and Game -
Wildlife Investigations Laboratory (CA); National Wildlife Health Center - Hawaiian Field Station (NW-HF).
Written and compiled by Gregory Kidd, NWHC. The Quarterly Wildlife Mortality Report is available at
http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov. To report mortality or receive information about this report,
contact the above NWHC staff, e-mail: kathy_converse@usgs.gov., or for Hawaiian Islands
contact Thierry Work. Phone: (608) 270-2400, FAX: (608) 270-2415 or write USGS National
Wildlife Health Center, 6006 Schroeder Road, Madison, WI 53711.
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Duck plague
was seen at several locations this spring. In late March, duck plague
was reported in two out of nineteen exotic waterfowl species in
a private waterfowl collection in San Diego. The diagnosis was based
on histopathology. All unaffected birds were immediately moved into
quarantine, the pond drained and disinfected, and the only free-flying
birds present on the pond were euthanized. Duck plague was diagnosed
in a muscovy duck from a private collection in Cambridge, Maryland
by the Maryland Department of Agriculture with virus confirmation
by the NWHC. Duck plague was confirmed in one of 13 muscovy collected
in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Mortality in muscovy ducks was reported
from several additional sites in Virginia Beach but no suitable
carcasses were submitted for evaluation. There have been several
outbreaks of duck plague in the Virginia Beach area in recent years.
Duck plague was diagnosed by the Michigan Roselake Wildlife Research
Center in domestic ducks on a farm in Onsted, Michigan; an estimated
35 ducks died and no wild birds were known to use the area. The
Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic lab reported the presence of
gross and microscopic lesions consistent with duck plague in muscovy
carcasses collected on a residential pond in Garland, Texas; NWHC
isolated duck plague virus. Duck plague occurred at this site in
1994. Texas Parks and Wildlife requested homeowners collect and
dispose of carcasses and monitor the site for further mortality.
Maine Inland
Fisheries and Wildlife reported the death of 3 muskrats on a residential
lake in Kennebunk County. Several muskrats were seen dead in the
same area last fall. There was concern that this mortality was linked
to contamination from a nearby Superfund cleanup site. Necropsy
evaluation of the muskrats revealed tissue changes consistent with
a bacterial infection. Tyzzer's disease was confirmed by examination
of specially stained tissues that contained Bacillus piliformis.
The Purple
Martin Conservation Association reported mortality in purple martin
colonies in three states, Kansas, Indiana, and Pennsylvania. At
the Indiana site, there were two peaks of mortality. Between June
22 and June 25, 60 adults and 107 young died and during the second
peak, July 23 to July 27, 40 adults and several young died. Over
90 % of the adults in the colony died. Two shipments of purple martins
were examined by NWHC. The adults were in good body condition with
no significant lesions. Young birds were emaciated and were presumed
to have died of dehydration and starvation following the death of
their parents. Botulism type C toxin was confirmed in three birds,
cholinesterase levels appeared normal, and there were no significant
bacterial or viral isolations. Additional tests are pending.
Trichmonas
gallinae was isolated from esophageal lesions in house finches and
a mourning dove collected from a residential area of Phoenix, Arizona
and mourning doves from a larger mortality event in southwestern
New Mexico. Trichomoniasis is common in doves but is rarely reported
in house finches. In New Mexico, doves congregate at cattle watering
tanks and drink overflow water from the ground. Doves were found
sick or dead at roosting sites and near cattle watering tanks. Transmission
of this parasite is usually associated with concentrations of birds
in an area where ground feeding occurs.
For additional information please contact Dr. Scott Wright,
USGS National Wildlife Health Center - Disease Investigations Branch Chief, at 608-270-2460 or
Paul Slota, USGS National Wildlife Health Center - Support Services
Branch Chief at 608-270-2420.
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U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
