Biological Hazard - Canada, Province of Manitoba, Winnipeg : UPDATE Mass. Die-off (birds - common grackles)

Earth Watch Report  -  Biological Hazards

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14.08.2013

Biological Hazard

Canada

Province of Manitoba, Winnipeg

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Biological Hazard in Canada on Saturday, 10 August, 2013 at 06:57 (06:57 AM) UTC.

Description
Earlier this week, in the clear skies over Winnipeg, Canada, an ominous-seeming scene unfolded as dozens of birds abruptly began to rain from the sky - casualties of an undetermined cause. According to CBC News, more than 50 dead birds, identified as common grackles, were discovered scattered throughout Winnipeg's North End on Wednesday. Although clues are scarce as to why, shortly before dead birds began raining from the sky, residents in the area reported witnessing unusual behavior from a large flock lingering in trees and on rooftops around town. "There was probably, I would say … almost up to the thousand birds in the trees, and then I was looking up and then one fell right in front of me," said Tanya Lee Viner. By around 10:30 am, what began as just a few birds falling from the sky turned into a downpour that blanketed the streets. Local merchant Susan Tiganagis described to CBC a sight that must have been quite unsettling - and perhaps even a bit apocalyptic: "My husband said, like, 'This is a Hitchcock movie.' It's crazy! They were just dizzy. They didn't know where they were going. I've never seen them act like that. They were literally falling out of the trees and they were still dying," says Tiganagis. Conservation officers arrived to collect the dead birds, along with about a dozen which were still alive but unable to stand or fly. Samples from the deceased birds have been sent for toxicology testing in hopes of pinning down a cause for the sudden die-off, but authorities are speculating that exposure to toxins may be to blame. The mysterious bird casualties, while apparently isolated to this one area of Winnipeg, are reminiscent of other mass avian die-offs. In 2011, thousands of birds reportedly fell dead from the sky in several cities across the globe. While the exact causes of each were varied, direct and indirect human activity was deemed to blame for a significant number of those deaths.
Biohazard name:	Mass. Die-off (birds - common grackles)
Biohazard level:	3/4 Hight
Biohazard desc.:	Bacteria and viruses that can cause severe to fatal disease in humans, but for which vaccines or other treatments exist, such as anthrax, West Nile virus, Venezuelan equine encephalitis, SARS virus, variola virus (smallpox), tuberculosis, typhus, Rift Valley fever, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, yellow fever, and malaria. Among parasites Plasmodium falciparum, which causes Malaria, and Trypanosoma cruzi, which causes trypanosomiasis, also come under this level.
Symptoms:
Status:	suspected

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Biological Hazard in Canada on Saturday, 10 August, 2013 at 06:57 (06:57 AM) UTC.

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Updated:	Tuesday, 13 August, 2013 at 04:34 UTC
Description
The province says testing on dozens of birds has eliminated avian influenza, West Nile virus and Newcastle disease as the cause of death last week. The grackles were found in the area of King Street and Dufferin Avenue in Winnipeg on Aug. 7. The province said further testing is ongoing to determine what caused the birds to die.

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Biological Hazard in Canada on Saturday, 10 August, 2013 at 06:57 (06:57 AM) UTC.

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Updated:	Wednesday, 14 August, 2013 at 04:00 UTC
Description
Early test results have ruled out several known bird diseases in the deaths of dozens of grackles in Winnipeg's North End last week. At least 50 of the black birds were found dead near the intersection of King Street and Dufferin Avenue on Wednesday, baffling many people who live and work in the area. Preliminary test results have eliminated the West Nile virus, avian influenza and Newcastle disease as causes of death, a provincial government spokesperson told CBC News on Monday. Tests on the deceased birds are still in progress, the spokesperson said. Witnesses reported seeing hundreds of grackles flocking in a "bizarre manner" early Wednesday morning atop vehicles, in the trees and near businesses. Dozens of the birds were then seen dropping from the sky and falling out of the trees later that morning. Manitoba Conservation collected the dead grackles while the Winnipeg Humane Society picked up 11 birds that were still alive. The 11 birds, which could not stand or fly, were to be euthanized and sent to a pathology laboratory for necropsies.

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Mystery of paralyzed birds deepens

CBC News

Posted: Aug 12, 2013 10:17 AM PT

Last Updated: Aug 12, 2013 11:23 AM PT

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West Nile, avian flu ruled out in Winnipeg bird deaths

The mystery surrounding dozens of paralyzed birds that were discovered in B.C.'s northeast has deepened after veterinarians ruled out West Nile virus but found wing and leg fractures.
Last month, dozens of paralyzed ravens and crows were dropped off at a Dawson Creek rehabilitation clinic, sparking concerns about West Nile, which can also affect humans.
Despite efforts to save them, all 30 birds eventually died.

• Raven paralysis probed in B.C.'s Peace Region

Veterinarians have now ruled out West Nile, saying no viruses of any kind were found in the eight or so birds sent for a necropsy.
But the young birds showed wing and leg fractures, they said.


Read More Here


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Raven paralysis probed in B.C.'s Peace Region

'They almost looked like they were mummified,' says wildlife caretaker

CBC News

Posted: Jul 17, 2013 5:37 AM PT

Last Updated: Jul 17, 2013 8:28 AM PT

 

More than 30 paralyzed ravens have been dropped off at Leona Green's wildlife rehabilitaton centre since May. (David Iliff, License CC-BY-SA 3.0)

Paralyzed ravens a big mystery in B.C. Peace region7:30

 

A wildlife caretaker is trying to figure out what's paralyzing ravens in B.C.'s Peace Region.
Leona Green says more than 30 paralyzed ravens have been dropped off at her wildlife rehabilitation centre near Dawson Creek since May.
Green says she has never seen anything like it in her 30 years of working with animals.
"Their legs were paralyzed, and then they actually atrophied. They almost looked like they were mummified," she said.
Despite Green's efforts to rehabilitate the birds, they all died.
"Then this kind of mushroomed. I kept hearing more and more about it, and more dead birds," she said. "What's upsetting about it is the fact that we don't know what it is. Is it going to affect other birds, or even animals? We don't know."
Green says she has sent the bird carcasses to a lab in Abbotsford in the hopes of solving the mystery.
The province's Fish and Wildlife Branch would not comment on the deaths until the tests are completed, but a spokesperson said they don't believe there is a risk to human health.

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• Mystery paralysis leaves B.C. crows and ravens sitting on the ground with wings intact - but unable to fly
• Crows in Sauk County test positive for West Nile
• Biological Hazard - Canada, Province of Manitoba, Winnipeg : Mass. Die-off (birds - common grackles)
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Biological Hazard - Canada, Province of Manitoba, Winnipeg : Mass. Die-off (birds - common grackles)

Earth Watch Report  -  Biological Hazards

MASS BIRD DIE-OFF: Dead Birds Mysteriously Fall "Like Raindrops" In Winnipeg's North End?!

Andre Heath




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Biological Hazard

Canada

Province of Manitoba, Winnipeg

...

Biological Hazard in Canada on Saturday, 10 August, 2013 at 06:57 (06:57 AM) UTC.

Description
Earlier this week, in the clear skies over Winnipeg, Canada, an ominous-seeming scene unfolded as dozens of birds abruptly began to rain from the sky - casualties of an undetermined cause. According to CBC News, more than 50 dead birds, identified as common grackles, were discovered scattered throughout Winnipeg's North End on Wednesday. Although clues are scarce as to why, shortly before dead birds began raining from the sky, residents in the area reported witnessing unusual behavior from a large flock lingering in trees and on rooftops around town. "There was probably, I would say … almost up to the thousand birds in the trees, and then I was looking up and then one fell right in front of me," said Tanya Lee Viner. By around 10:30 am, what began as just a few birds falling from the sky turned into a downpour that blanketed the streets. Local merchant Susan Tiganagis described to CBC a sight that must have been quite unsettling - and perhaps even a bit apocalyptic: "My husband said, like, 'This is a Hitchcock movie.' It's crazy! They were just dizzy. They didn't know where they were going. I've never seen them act like that. They were literally falling out of the trees and they were still dying," says Tiganagis. Conservation officers arrived to collect the dead birds, along with about a dozen which were still alive but unable to stand or fly. Samples from the deceased birds have been sent for toxicology testing in hopes of pinning down a cause for the sudden die-off, but authorities are speculating that exposure to toxins may be to blame. The mysterious bird casualties, while apparently isolated to this one area of Winnipeg, are reminiscent of other mass avian die-offs. In 2011, thousands of birds reportedly fell dead from the sky in several cities across the globe. While the exact causes of each were varied, direct and indirect human activity was deemed to blame for a significant number of those deaths.
Biohazard name:	Mass. Die-off (birds - common grackles)
Biohazard level:	3/4 Hight
Biohazard desc.:	Bacteria and viruses that can cause severe to fatal disease in humans, but for which vaccines or other treatments exist, such as anthrax, West Nile virus, Venezuelan equine encephalitis, SARS virus, variola virus (smallpox), tuberculosis, typhus, Rift Valley fever, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, yellow fever, and malaria. Among parasites Plasmodium falciparum, which causes Malaria, and Trypanosoma cruzi, which causes trypanosomiasis, also come under this level.
Symptoms:
Status:	suspected

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Dozens of birds mysteriously drop dead from the sky in Canada

Stephen Messenger
Science / Natural Sciences
August 9, 2013

Screen capture YouTube

Earlier this week, in the clear skies over Winnipeg, Canada, an ominous-seeming scene unfolded as dozens of birds abruptly began to rain from the sky -- casualties of an undetermined cause.
According to CBC News, more than 50 dead birds, identified as common grackles, were discovered scattered throughout Winnipeg's North End on Wednesday. Although clues are scarce as to why, shortly before dead birds began raining from the sky, residents in the area reported witnessing unusual behavior from a large flock lingering in trees and on rooftops around town.
"There was probably, I would say … almost up to the thousand birds in the trees, and then I was looking up and then one fell right in front of me," said Tanya Lee Viner.
By around 10:30 am, what began as just a few birds falling from the sky turned into a downpour that blanketed the streets. Local merchant Susan Tiganagis described to CBC a sight that must have been quite unsettling -- and perhaps even a bit apocalyptic:

Read More Here
...

Related articles

• Dead birds plummet from the sky by the dozens in Winnipeg
• Nobody knows why dozens of birds fell from the sky in Winnipeg
• Dead birds fall 'like raindrops' in Winnipeg's North End