Abstract Title
HPAI H5N1 in Eastern Canadian Wild Birds: Mortality, Population Impacts, and Advances in Mortality Assessment
Abstract
The incursion of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b into North America, first detected in Newfoundland, Canada, in late 2021, triggered an unprecedented outbreak among wild bird populations in eastern Canada during 2022. This presentation synthesizes findings from multiple studies on the virus’s impacts, including mortality assessments and population-level analyses of affected species. Seabirds and waterfowl were particularly hard hit, with estimates suggesting over 40,000 wild bird deaths in eastern Canada in 2022, predominantly Northern Gannets, Common Murres, and American Common Eiders. A comparison of mortality events from 2022 to 2023 reveals a marked decline in seabird mortalities, though uncertainty remains about broader ecological consequences and recovery trajectories for key species. This talk will provide an overview of the strengths and limitations of drift modelling and participatory (i.e., citizen science) data in characterizing mass mortality events. Findings underscore the importance of timely, coordinated responses to these events and highlight the pressing need for improved protocols and standardized approaches to mortality assessment, which are essential for robust conservation and management strategies moving forward.
Co-Author(s)
Stephanie Avery-Gomm1, Tatsiana Barychka1, Tabatha L. Cormier2, Matthew D English2, Jolene A. Giacinti1, Jean-François Giroux3, Magella Guillemette4, Johanna A. Harvey5,6, Megan Jones7, Stéphane Lair8, William A. Montevecchi9, Jean-François Rail2, Gregory J. Robertson1, Robert A. Ronconi2, Graig Sutherland10, Liam U. Taylor11, Sabina I. Wilhelm2
1 Environment and Climate Change Canada, Wildlife and Landscape Science Directorate
2 Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service
3 Université du Québec à Montréal, Département des Sciences Biologiques
4 Université du Québec à Rimouski, Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie
5 University of Maryland, College of Agricultere & Natural Resources
6 USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center
7 Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island
8 Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages, Université de Montréal
9 Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland
10 Environment and Climate Change Canada, Atmospheric Science Technology Directorate
11 Bowdoin College, Biology Department
Abstract Category
Mortality estimations, impacts on harvest, conservation considerations, and potential mitigation strategies in wild birds