Avian Influenza

USGS researchers seek to understand the factors influencing the spread and persistence of avian influenza viruses on the landscape. This research also addresses how novel strains of highly pathogenic avian influenza are impacting a larger number and diversity of host species, including waterfowl, shorebirds, raptors and other birds.

USGS is investigating factors that influence the risk of avian influenza transmission from wild waterfowl to domestic poultry within the Chesapeake Bay region, a hub of poultry production for the United States.

USGS researchers are pairing field and laboratory studies to gain deeper insights into the role of Lesser Scaup ( Aythya affinis) in the spread and persistence of avian influenza viruses.

Emergence of avian influenza viruses with the potential to be highly pathogenic to poultry, wild birds, and humans cause serious concern for the global economic and public health sectors. Researchers at the USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center study multiple aspects of avian influenza viruses in wild birds as well as their implications for commercial agriculture with a special emphasis on...

Ongoing global outbreaks demonstrate the capacity of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) to impact poultry, wild birds, and even human health. USGS research is advancing the understanding of the spatial and temporal interface between wild and domestic bird populations from which these viruses emerge to aid biosecurity planning and outbreak response.

USGS research is quantifying the strains and prevalence of avian influenza viruses circulating in wild waterfowl and improving our understanding of how viruses move between and within migratory flyways.

USGS research is investigating the prevalence and strains of avian influenza viruses in the aquatic environment, how those viruses compare to those circulating within wild birds in the same area, and how viruses persist in the environment across seasons.

The USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center (EESC) is rooted in a proud tradition of service to the nation—advancing science that informs the conservation and management of fish, wildlife, and habitats across the eastern United States and beyond. Our mission is clear: deliver reliable, partner-driven science that supports natural resource decisions today, while ensuring these resources remain...

Hunting is an economic engine for the U.S. and responsible management of these resources directly supports 45.2 billion dollars spent by hunters annually. Conservation and management of hunting resources also contributes substantially to the 394.8 billion dollars spent on all wildlife-related recreation. Hunting traditions are an integral component of our American heritage, with 14.4 million...

Decision analysis is widely used in business applications to improve cost saving and increase efficiency under uncertainty. Scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey Eastern Ecological Science Center (EESC) include world-renowned experts who use data, mathematics, statistics, and computer science to help frame and solve decision problems to support U.S. national security, public health, wildlife...

This project focuses on tracking wild birds throughout Eurasia via satellite telemetry to better understand their spatiotemporal movement patterns, relationship to domestic birds, and potential role in the spread, persistence, and amplification of avian influenza viruses.

Understanding disease systems requires an understanding of the basic ecology of host species. USGS is involved in global efforts to explore the movements of bird species that are hosts of avian influenza as well as the potential impacts of changing landscapes on avian influenza.