Surveillance of Migratory Birds in Uganda
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Surveillance of migratory birds in Uganda Progress Report Requisition Officer: Funded by USAID Strategic Objective 7 (S07) Contractor: Achilles Byaruhanga, Executive Officer Company: NatureUganda Duration of Project: January to August 2006 1. Introduction.....................................................................................................................................3 2. Objectives of the project................................................................................................................3 3. Activity progress.............................................................................................................................3 Deliverable #1 . Description of migration patterns .....................................................................3 a) Bird migration........................................................................................................................3 b) Bird Migrations in Africa.....................................................................................................7 c) Bird migrations in Uganda ...................................................................................................7 Deliverable #2. Progress on bird surveys and AI surveillance, January 2006..........................9 a) Preparations............................................................................................................................9 b) Sample collection materials for avian influenza diagnosis..............................................9 c) Survey results........................................................................................................................10 d) Fecal sample collection from roosting sites and dead birds..........................................10 Figure 1: World Migrations described in terms of Flyways.......................................................5 Figure 2: Palearctic migration flyways in Africa ..........................................................................6 Figure 3. Location of sites surveyed during the waterbird census, January 2006 .............8 Table 1. Sites surveyed showing total numbers of water birds recorded........................................12 Table 2: January feacal sample’s results for Avian Influenza diagnosis ........................................13 Figure 4: Comparative waterfowl numbers during the January counts since 1999........................14 Table 3. Species that have been diagnosed with H5N1 in other parts of the world.......................15 Table 4: Distribution of samples collected........................................................................................16 Table 5: Sample collection Materials................................................................................................17 Appendix 1: Results of the Waterbird census showing sites and species recorded................18 Appendix 2: Financial Report for Waterfowl counts January 2006 22 2 1. Introduction Uganda contains over 1010 (half of all species found in Africa) different species of birds occupying the vast landscapes an d highly diverse habitats in Uganda , including but not limited to, wetlands and forests. The high diversity of habitats makes Uganda the richest country in terms of birds species compared to its size in Africa. Over 20% of the total number of species in the country are migrants. 2. Objectives of the project NatureUganda has been monitoring waterbirds at 18 major migration sites for over 10 years in Uganda, distributed in all parts of the country except northern Uganda. In January 2006, USAID Uganda supported the waterbird monitoring to carry out surveillance activities associated with migratory birds in Uganda in at least 18 resting and breeding in January and July 2006. The survey will produce a detailed analysis of migratory bird patterns in Uganda, a nd will report on epidemiological results from sampled diseased/dead birds and fecal material that will be collected during the surveys of January and July. Specifically the surveys will accomplish the following; a. Provide a clear description of migrat ory bird patterns, including resting and breeding sites, within Uganda. This description should include high quality maps that demonstrate the spatial and temporal patterns and the sites of migratory bird species. b. Conduct bird surveys in January, 2006, in at least 18 sites within Uganda. These surveys will, in addition to estimates of bird numbers, provide a baseline for species composition and numbers, if any, of diseased or dead birds per site. c. Conduct bird surveys in July, 2006, in at least 18 sites within Uganda. These surveys will, in addition to estimates of bird numbers, provide a baseline for species composition and numbers, if any, of diseased or dead birds per site. d. Provide technical assistance in determining the cause of diseased or dead birds found during the bird surveys, or at other opportunistic occasions during the contract period. This technical assistance will include the collection of samples, the shipmen t of samples to appropriate laboratories for analysis, and the reporting on the results obtained. 3. Activity progress Deliverable #1 . Description of migration patterns a) Bird migration Bird migration is one of the world's most extraordinary wonders. Millions of birds travel thousands of miles, only to make the return j ourney a few months later. Birds move to areas to improve their chances of survival, usually because of climatic changes that provide better environment for feeding, or especially for rearing young. There is a corresponding return 3 movement at the end of th e breeding season. Although migrations remain a complex subject particularly for orientation, location of sites for fee ding or breeding or determining the general direction of movement, migration patterns for some birds have been determined using mark - recapture using rings or more recently using satellite location. Figure 1 shows the general knowledge on migration patterns of migratory birds in the world based on some specific studies of groups of waders, and for families anatidae and laridea. The map shows different migration routes that connect different continent s, seas and oceans. The map gives a guide to the general movement of birds from one region to the other. It is very important to note that migration routes mix or overlap with each other in al l regions across the globe. This is very important particularly in disease transmission from bird populations in one region to the other , i.e. theoretically one individual bird can spread an infectious disease to the whole world. For example , the Black Headed Gulls that winter in big numbers in Uganda migrate to Europe, central Asia and Siberia regions for breeding and the region is the confluent of all major migration destinations (Wetlands International 2002). Figure 1 demonstrates overlap of all the migration routes in these regions. Another example is the Common Teal that occurs in Europe, Asia and Africa with a separate population in North America. However the two populations are linked by the overlap of the East Atlantic flyway. The bird migration patterns become even more complex when one narrows down into a specific region such as Africa . .Figure 2 shows the migration patterns and routes that connect Africa to Europe and Asia. There are different entry points into the continent but two major flyway s can be mapped out , i.e., the Western flyway through Europe and the Eastern flyway through Asia. Uganda lies along the eastern migration flyway into Africa described as the Mediterranean flyway. This pattern is comprise d of birds commonly referred to as p alearctic migrants. Palearctic migrants breed in the northern hemisphere or temperate region during summer and migrate to the southern hemisphere and central regions during winter. However there are other migration patterns in Africa. These include intr a-African migrants that only move within the continent such as Marabou Storks which range in the plains of East, Central, and West Africa . In addition, Abdim’s Storks range in semi -arid areas in western and eastern Africa and Blue Swallows migrate from s outhern Africa where they breed during the winter to central Africa during the summer. The Marabou storks seem to follow the dry seasons where there is availability of carrion to scavenge and the Abdim’s Storks follow the rains due to availability of insect fauna after the rains. The importance of migration of species was brought into force in 1983 by the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), sometimes referred to as the Bonn Convention , with the aim to conserve terrestrial, marine and avian migratory sp ecies throughout their range . Under the CMS another protocol called the African -Eurasian waterbird Agreement (AEWA) became operational in 2000 between European, Asian and African states to protect the migratory waterbird species in these regions. The firs t convention to recognize the importance of these patterns however was the Ramsar Convention which was promulgated in 1971 to protect wetlands especially as waterfowl habitats. 4 Uganda is a signatory to all the above mentioned conventions and agreements. These multilateral instruments are in response to a need to protect migratory species in range countries and to recognize that effective conservation of migratory species requires concerted efforts from all range states. Figure 1: World Migrations described in terms of Flyways 5 Figure 2: Palearctic migration flyways in Africa