Wild Birds and Avian Influenza in Africa

Avian Influenza in Avifauna : Satellite tracking, Material and Method

Satellite platform transmitting transmitters (PTTs) are being used to track the movements of Palaearctic migrant and Afro-tropical duck species. Solar powered Argos PTTs of 12 and 18 grams were selected for garganey and white-faced whistling duck respectively. 30 gram solar Argos/GPS PTTs were used for comb duck, which has a larger body mass. PTTs were attached by backpack using a Teflon harness-attachment.

Locations of each bird are tracked by satellites with the Argos system. These satellites orbiting at 850 km above the earth’s surface detect transmitter locations and relay their geographical coordinates (latitude and longitude) to a ground station.

Test of transmitter’s attachment

ducks with transmitters at Montpellier zoo

A test of transmitter equipment was conducted in Montpellier Zoo (France), to monitor the effects of Teflon harness-attached satellite transmitters on captive duck of the target species.
Ducks have been monitored in a closed space for 15 days.
They have been weighted and checked for injuries every 2 days to evaluate the influence of the transmitters on their health.
Then they have been monitored for one month in a small pound to check the resistance of the harness outside.

Ducks with trasmitters on Montpellier zoo pound

comb-ducks with transmitters at Montpellier zoo

Field operation for fitting the transmitters on wild birds

Field operations were conducted in three countries (Malawi, Mali and Nigeria) to catch and fit transmitters to the four target species (garganey, white-faced whistling duck, fulvous whistling duck and comb duck).

Inner Niger Delta - MALI

Argos transmitters were fitted on birds in collaboration with experts from the USGS (US Geological Survey) Western Ecological Research Center. The birds, only ducks, were caught in the Lake Walado-Débo area, near Banadji village, with a team of traditional hunters. At the end of each afternoon these hunters, who know the Inner Niger Delta and waterbird habits very well, set up a network of nets (at about 1.5m from the ground) within the floodplains. During the night, flocks of ducks and waders would fall into the nets when they came to feed on fresh grasses, seeds and invertebrates. Early in the morning, the hunters returned to the site to collect the birds caught in the traps. Transmitters were fitted on 23 ducks using harnesses made with Teflon ribbon. They were fitted on garganeys (Anas querquedula, 5 ♂and 5 ♀), comb ducks (Sarkidiornis melanotos, 1 ♂ and 7 ♀), fulvous whistling ducks (Dendrocygna bicolor, 1 ♂and 2 ♀) and white-faced whistling ducks (Dendrocygna viduata, 1 ♂ and 1 ♀). comb-duck with transmitter picture All 23 birds were also ringed, measured (tarsus-culmen-wing length and weight), and biological samples (cloacal and tracheal) were taken. The weight of the transmitters fitted varied according to the weight and structure of each species, and was 12 g for garganeys, 18g for whistling ducks and 30 g for comb ducks.
In addition, feather samples were taken from nine species of birds, to determinate through future analysis their isotopic composition, which may provide information on diet, habitat use and geographic origin.
All birds equipped with a transmitter were released at the same site, in the middle of the floodplain, and telemetric monitoring was immediately operational.

Lake Chilwa - MALAWI

flying comb-duck with a transmitter picture

Sam Iverson (USGS) travelled to Malawi, meeting Bill Eldridge (USFWS, Anchorage, retired) in Lilongwe on 29Jan07. Both travelled on to Zomba where they based for the duration of the fieldwork. Research was conducted at Lake Chilwa, which is a Ramsar Convention recognized wetland area of international importance in southern Malawi. Cooperators included Tim Dodman and John Wilson (WI), Doug Harebottle (WI/ Avian Demography Unit, University of Cape Town), a team of Malawian veterinary specialist under the direction of Dr. Chimera, and members of local village bird hunting clubs.
In total, 3 Comb Ducks and 3 whistling ducks (2 WFWD, 1 FUWD) were outfitted with transmitters in Malawi.

Chad Basin National Park - NIGERIA

John Takekawa (USGS) and Scott Petrie (LPWWRF) travelled to northeast Nigeria to mark CODU, GARG, and WFWD at Chad Basin National Park (CBNP). Our work was conducted cooperatively with the A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute (APLORI), Director Georgina Mwansat and fieldwork led by Dr. Shiiwa Manu. APLORI is the only conservation center in west Africa and one of the only two bird conservation centers in all of Africa (along with Percy Fitzpatrick Institute of African Ornithology, South Africa). Our international team from the US, Canada, Netherlands (Ward Hagemeijer WI), Italy (P. Micheloni and G. Rossi, L’Istituto Nazionale per la Fauna Selvatica), Sweden (A. Eriksson, G. Norevik, and P. Osterman, Ottenby Bird Observatory) and Nigeria (S. Manu, D. Mannok, L. Turshak, and O. Adah) captured 7 Comb Ducks, 7 Garganey, and 2 White Faced Whistling Duck and marked them with satellite transmitters.

Cirad Avian Influenza

Satellite tracking maps

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Updated :
December 14th, 2009

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