Change in the size of populations over space and time is, arguably, the motivation for much of pure and applied ecological research. The fundamental model for the dynamics of any population is straightforward: the net change in the abundance is the simple difference between the number of individuals entering the population and the number leaving the population, either or both of which may chang...

One of the longest-persisting avian influenza viruses in history, highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) A(H5N1), continues to evolve after 18 yr, advancing the threat of a global pandemic. Wild waterfowl (family Anatidae) are reported as secondary transmitters of HPAIV and primary reservoirs for low-pathogenic avian influenza viruses, yet spatial inputs for disease risk modeling for t...

Breeding-bird communities inhabiting northern prairie wetlands have been shown to have higher densities and diversities in wetlands with a well-interspersed 50:50 vegetative cover:water ratio than in those wetlands with a higher or lower proportion of cover. Potential reasons for such a response include increased food or visual isolation and spacing of breeding birds. We manipulated cover:water...

Since 2003, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) due to H5N1 virus has been reported from both domestic poultry and wild birds in 60 countries resulting in the direct death or slaughter of over 250,000,000 birds. The potential exists for HPAI to spread to Australia via migratory shorebirds returning from Asia with the most likely pathway of introduction into commercial poultry flocks involv...

Krauss et al. (1) use lack of detection of highly pathogenic (HP) H5 clade 2.3.4.4 (henceforth “H5”) influenza A viruses (IAVs) from >22,000 wild bird samples collected in North America in 2014–2015 to argue that HP H5 IAVs disappeared from waterfowl and that unresolved mechanisms restrict emergence and perpetuation of HP IAVs in natural reservoir species. Here we offer an alternative interpret...

We studied the prevalence of influenza A virus in wintering waterfowl from the Central Flyway on the Gulf Coast of Texas. Of 5,363 hunter-harvested migratory and resident waterfowl and wetland-associated game birds sampled during 3 consecutive hunting seasons (September-January 2006-07, 2007-08, and 2008-09), real-time reverse transcription-PCR detected influenza A matrix sequences in 8.5% of s...

Wild waterfowl and their habitats are the main reservoirs of influenza A virus (IAV) mainly during the breeding season and prior to migration. This study describes the molecular characterization of an IAV isolated from 240 water samples of a small wetland during non-breeding season of migratory wild ducks in the State of Mexico, Mexico. The results showed that the virus belongs to the H4N2 subt...

Waterfowl hunting participation has been on the decline since mid-1980s. We used a web-based survey to better understand waterfowl constraints (i.e., factors that limit or prohibit and enjoyment in leisure activities) among hunters anglers hunted did not hunt central United States. Forty-eight constraint items were condensed into 10 factors: Rules Regulations, Identification, Cost, Hunting Skil...

This study was performed  in second half of year 2009.For bird counting , monthly from Septamber until March 2009. Total counted birds in Maroon lake were (971). Maximum number of counted birds was in February  (191) and minimum of counted was in Septamber (95). Total counted birds in Jaizan were (385. Maximum number of the counted bird was in February (84) and minimum of counted (52) was in Ja...