(e) = estimate; * = morbidity and mortality

National Wildlife Health Center (NW); Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study (SC); New York State Departmemt of Environmental Conservation (NY); California Department of Fish and Game-Wildlife Investigations Laboratory (CFG); Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WI); South Dakota State University: Brookings Laboratory (SD); New Mexico Veterinary Diagnostic Services (NM).

Written and compiled by Kathryn Converse, Kimberli Miller, Linda Glaser, Terry Creekmore, and Audra Schrader, National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC). To report mortality or if you would like specific information on these mortalities, contact one of the following NWHC staff: Western US Kathryn Converse; Eastern US--Kimberli Miller; Hawaiian Islands--Thierry Work. Phone (608) 270-2400, FAX (608) 270-2415 or E-mail kathy_converse@usgs.gov. National Wildlife Health Center, 6006 Schroeder Road, Madison, WI 53711.

Quarterly Mortality Reports

Avian botulism mortality in migratory water birds peaked during late summer and early fall. Mortality confirmed or suspected to be due to botulism was reported to the National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) from more than 50 sites in 15 states by wildlife personnel from both federal and state agencies. The greatest number of botulism outbreaks occurred in North Dakota and the greatest number of dead birds were collected in that state.

Avian botulism occurred at many sites in the Prairie Pothole area of North and South Dakota where botulism outbreaks had not been reported for several years. Avian botulism occurred for a second year in Illinois at the Chautauqua NWR and the majority of the 2,600 dead birds collected were green and blue-winged teal. In the other states a wide variety of avian species were collected during outbreaks including 16 species of waterfowl, five species of shorebirds, five species of wading birds, grebes, coots, gulls and pelicans.

The highest mortality occurred in the dabbling ducks such as mallards, green-winged teal, blue-winged teal, northern pintail, northern shoveler, gadwall and American wigeon. However, many birds could not be identified to species because of decomposition. The total mortality reported to NWHC from botulism outbreaks was about 98,000 birds.

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.