Wild Birds and Avian Influenza in Africa

Bird species selected for the Africa Telemetry Project

Study species were selected among ducks, a bird family widely recognised as the major natural reservoirs of avian influenza viruses. Both Eurasian migrant and Afro-tropical species were targeted in order to survey intra-African regional movements and inter-continental migrations.

Garganey (Anas querquedula) is the most abundant Palaearctic ducks species wintering in Africa, with large populations widespread in Sahelian wetlands over Western and Eastern Africa. Garganey has been selected to evaluate the extent of regional movements of a Eurasian duck during its wintering period in West Africa, and to track its inter-continental migration.

White-faced whistling duck (Dendrocygna viduata) is the most common Afro-tropical duck species, widespread across all sub-Saharan regions, but its movements are generally poorly understood. Over most of its range, it is fairly nomadic, moving in response to rainfall. It is quite cosmopolitan, and is often found in areas close to man, such as on local dams and in rice fields. White-faced whistling duck has been selected to monitor semi-nomadic local movement of a common African duck, with potential contacts with poultry or poultry farm by-products.

Comb duck (Sarkidiornis melanotos) is a large African duck known to perform more extensive intra-African movements, including trans-equatorial migration. Comb duck has been selected to monitor potential intra-African regional movements, about which there is a general lack of information.

Study sites

Two sites have been selected in West Africa: the Inner Niger Delta in Mali and the Hadejia-Nguru wetlands in Nigeria. Both are major Sahelian wetlands of great international importance for migratory and resident waterbirds, with high numbers of Garganey and a range of other African ducks.
A third site has been selected in Southern Africa: Lake Chilwa in Malawi hosts large concentrations of African ducks, potentially originating from areas further north in Eastern Africa and further south in Southern Africa.

A total of 20 transmitters are being fitted to Garganey in West Africa and 15 to each of White-faced Whistling duck and Comb duck across all three sites, providing a balance of looking at both Palearctic-Africa and within-Africa movements, whilst also considering two African species that have different migratory strategies.

Species	Mali	Nigeria	Malawi	Total
Garganey	10	6	-	16
Whistling Duck	5	2	4	11
Comb Duck	8	7	3	18
Total	23	15	7	45

Cirad Avian Influenza

Satellite tracking maps

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Updated :
December 14th, 2009

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