Abstract
Several sources of data suggest that the Yellow-billed Magpie (Pica nuttalli), a corvid endemic to California, is extremely susceptible to West Nile virus (WNV) and that its abundance has decreased since the establishment of WNV throughout California in 2004. From 2004 to 2006, 12,211 Yellow-billed Magpie carcasses were reported to the California Department of Health Services. Seventy-eight percent of the 1,007 Yellow-billed Magpie carcasses tested were WNV-positive, and this was the highest proportion of WNV-positive carcasses of all California bird species with reasonable sample sizes (>20). Assuming a starting population size of 180,000 in 2003, California Department of Health Services data suggest that Yellow-billed Magpie populations may have been reduced by 49% in just two years. Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data show a 22% decline as of 2005, and Christmas Bird Count (CBC) data show a 42% decline as of 2006. Furthermore, flock size at three traditional urban communal roosts monitored in Sacramento, California, decreased dramatically after the establishment of WNV, with two becoming vacant by summer 2005 and the third declining precipitously into 2006. Of 38 serum samples obtained from 21 Yellow-billed Magpies in Davis, California, in 2006, only one individual was found to produce WNV-specific antibodies. Range-wide monitoring is warranted to detect and track population trends of this species. Population size, genetic diversity and population structure, cause-specific mortality, and population viability should be evaluated.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 542-550 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Auk |
| Volume | 125 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2008 |
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Keywords
- Breeding Bird Survey
- Christmas Bird Count
- Communal roost
- Corvidae
- Dead-bird surveillance
- Pica nuttalli
- West Nile virus
- Yellow-billed Magpie
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Animal Science and Zoology
- Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Cite this
Early impact of west nile virus on the yellow-billed magpie (Pica Nuttalli). / Crosbie, Scott P.; Koenig, Walter D.; Reisen, William; Kramer, Vicki L.; Marcus, Lauren; Carney, Ryan; Pandolfino, Edward; Bollen, Ginger M.; Crosbie, Lizette R.; Bell, Douglas A.; Ernest, Holly B.
In: Auk, Vol. 125, No. 3, 2008, p. 542-550.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Early impact of west nile virus on the yellow-billed magpie (Pica Nuttalli)
AU - Crosbie, Scott P.
AU - Koenig, Walter D.
AU - Reisen, William
AU - Kramer, Vicki L.
AU - Marcus, Lauren
AU - Carney, Ryan
AU - Pandolfino, Edward
AU - Bollen, Ginger M.
AU - Crosbie, Lizette R.
AU - Bell, Douglas A.
AU - Ernest, Holly B
PY - 2008
Y1 - 2008
N2 - Several sources of data suggest that the Yellow-billed Magpie (Pica nuttalli), a corvid endemic to California, is extremely susceptible to West Nile virus (WNV) and that its abundance has decreased since the establishment of WNV throughout California in 2004. From 2004 to 2006, 12,211 Yellow-billed Magpie carcasses were reported to the California Department of Health Services. Seventy-eight percent of the 1,007 Yellow-billed Magpie carcasses tested were WNV-positive, and this was the highest proportion of WNV-positive carcasses of all California bird species with reasonable sample sizes (>20). Assuming a starting population size of 180,000 in 2003, California Department of Health Services data suggest that Yellow-billed Magpie populations may have been reduced by 49% in just two years. Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data show a 22% decline as of 2005, and Christmas Bird Count (CBC) data show a 42% decline as of 2006. Furthermore, flock size at three traditional urban communal roosts monitored in Sacramento, California, decreased dramatically after the establishment of WNV, with two becoming vacant by summer 2005 and the third declining precipitously into 2006. Of 38 serum samples obtained from 21 Yellow-billed Magpies in Davis, California, in 2006, only one individual was found to produce WNV-specific antibodies. Range-wide monitoring is warranted to detect and track population trends of this species. Population size, genetic diversity and population structure, cause-specific mortality, and population viability should be evaluated.
AB - Several sources of data suggest that the Yellow-billed Magpie (Pica nuttalli), a corvid endemic to California, is extremely susceptible to West Nile virus (WNV) and that its abundance has decreased since the establishment of WNV throughout California in 2004. From 2004 to 2006, 12,211 Yellow-billed Magpie carcasses were reported to the California Department of Health Services. Seventy-eight percent of the 1,007 Yellow-billed Magpie carcasses tested were WNV-positive, and this was the highest proportion of WNV-positive carcasses of all California bird species with reasonable sample sizes (>20). Assuming a starting population size of 180,000 in 2003, California Department of Health Services data suggest that Yellow-billed Magpie populations may have been reduced by 49% in just two years. Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data show a 22% decline as of 2005, and Christmas Bird Count (CBC) data show a 42% decline as of 2006. Furthermore, flock size at three traditional urban communal roosts monitored in Sacramento, California, decreased dramatically after the establishment of WNV, with two becoming vacant by summer 2005 and the third declining precipitously into 2006. Of 38 serum samples obtained from 21 Yellow-billed Magpies in Davis, California, in 2006, only one individual was found to produce WNV-specific antibodies. Range-wide monitoring is warranted to detect and track population trends of this species. Population size, genetic diversity and population structure, cause-specific mortality, and population viability should be evaluated.
KW - Breeding Bird Survey
KW - Christmas Bird Count
KW - Communal roost
KW - Corvidae
KW - Dead-bird surveillance
KW - Pica nuttalli
KW - West Nile virus
KW - Yellow-billed Magpie
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=67650092020&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=67650092020&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1525/auk.2008.07040
DO - 10.1525/auk.2008.07040
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:67650092020
VL - 125
SP - 542
EP - 550
JO - Auk
JF - Auk
SN - 0004-8038
IS - 3
ER -