In the spring of 2022, North America’s wild bird populations experienced an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). We at CWHC Western/Northern tested hundreds of birds submitted to us during the outbreak, which allowed us to see firsthand which species were being affected by HPAI. Not all species were impacted by the outbreak, but there were many regulars – namely waterfowl and those that eat them: Snow Geese, hawks, owls, eagles, corvids, vultures, and even foxes and skunks appeared to be very susceptible to HPAI. Other species – mostly songbirds – seemed virtually unaffect ..read more

Photo Credit: White-tailed Tropicbird by Bettina Arrigoni via flicker. As part of the ongoing National Avian Influenza Virus Surveillance Program, CWHC-Atlantic received a large shipment of birds recently from the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and Renewables. However sad this is, as a birder I’m also curious about the species that are found in the region. All gowned up and ready to start testing, I read on the one of the submission sheets that the bird in the package was a White-tailed Tropicbird. I thought it was a joke.  Surely a tropic bird or bird from the tropics ..read more

Trichomonosis has emerged in the Atlantic region in late December 2020, which has taken wildlife experts by surprise. The disease is caused by the protozoan parasite Trichomonas gallinae which infects the mucosal lining of the oral cavity and upper digestive tract of a variety of bird species including pigeons, raptors, and small passerines. Purple finch, a species commonly infected by trichomonosis. Most common during the summer months, this disease infects purple finches, American goldfinches and pine siskins resulting in necrosis and inflammation of the upper digestive tract l ..read more

Since the first confirmed report of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAIV) in a red-tailed hawk in Ontario on March 21, 2022, the CWHC has been receiving an increased number of calls, emails, and online reports of dead wild birds throughout southern Ontario. Recently cases of HPAIV affecting poultry farms have also been detected in south and central Ontario.  The increase in reports of dead or sick wild birds may be due, in part, to heightened awareness of HPAIV, but we think it likely also reflects an increase in the number of dead and sick wild birds on the landscape.   The ..read more

Blepharitis (swollen eyelids), highly characteristic of mycoplasmosis, in an American goldfinch. Montreal, Quebec. For the fourth winter in a row, cases of eye disease have been reported in birds frequenting feeding stations in Quebec. Although we have not recently received specimens allowing us to confirm the diagnosis, the lesions observed are highly characteristic of an infection by Mycoplasma gallisepticum (a disease known as mycoplasmosis). We definitely can say that this condition, which first appeared in North America in 1994, is back. In Quebec, mycoplasmosis in wild birds seems ..read more

Near the end of May, there were reports of sick and dying birds in the Washington D.C., Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky area. The birds all had evidence of swollen eyes and crusty discharge, as well as neurological signs. The majority of birds affected were fledglings and the most common species affected were common grackles, blue jays, European starlings, and American robins. Since these first cases, there have been additional reports as far north as Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Testing of these birds is ongoing, but many common bacteria, viruses, and parasites have be ..read more

Récemment, des photos présentant une surcroissance marquée du bec chez un pic chevelu et une sittelle à poitrine rousse nous ont été soumises. Pic chevelu présentant une surcroissance du bec. Crédit photo Jean Krashevski. Sittelle à poitrine rousse présentant une surcroissance du bec. Crédit photo Josée Leclerc. Les deux oiseaux ont été photographiés à deux mangeoires différentes dans la région des Laurentides (nord de Montréal). Ce type de présentation, qui est assez inhabituelle au Québec, fait penser à un syndrome bien décrit dans le nord-ouest de l’Amérique du Nord chez différentes esp ..read more

Au cours des mois de juillet et août derniers, cinq plongeons huards (Gavia immer) adultes ont été trouvés morts dans le même secteur dans la région de l’Outaouais au Québec. Trois de ces oiseaux ont été soumis pour analyse au centre régional pour le Québec du RCSF (CQSAS). Photo 1. Section histologique de l’intestin d’un plongeon huard affecté par le virus du Nil occidental. Une nécrose des cryptes intestinales est présente (flèches). Des cryptes intactes (CI) sont présentes pour comparaison. L’examen pathologique effectué chez ces oiseaux a révélé la présence de lésions au niveau de la ..read more

During the months of July and August, five adult common loons (Gavia immer) were found dead in the same area in the Outaouais region, Quebec. Three of these birds were submitted for analysis to the CWHC Quebec regional center (CQSAS). Figure 1. Histological section of the intestine of a common loon affected by West Nile Virus. Necrosis of the intestinal crypts is present (arrows). Intact crypts can be seen (CI) for comparison. The pathological examination performed in these birds revealed the presence of lesions in the spleen and intestines: a fibrinonecrotic splenitis (inflammation of t ..read more

The conclusion of a research project is always exciting, not only because we can finally share the results of our efforts, but because we look to the future and plan what we can do next. Our raptors and rodenticide project started in 2019, and you may recall reading about our project and preliminary results in the Healthy Wildlife blog: (http://blog.healthywildlife.ca/summer-research-project-raptors-and-rodenticides/). To briefly summarize our project: in the summer of 2019, we analyzed the livers of deceased birds of prey submitted to the CWHC for residues of rat poisons. The most common ..read more