08.03.2006

Introduction of the Bird Flu by White Storks is extremely unlikely

Dear Stork Friends

Regarding the topic mentioned above, we received a communication from the Michael-Otto-Institute of NABU and the Bird Protection Look-out in Loburg near Muenster. We do not want to keep this information from you, and with it contribute to the education about potential dangers posed by the illness.

Winfried Boehmer
NABU-Project Leader

NABU: Introduction of the Bird Flu by White Storks is extremely unlikely
Experts: Do not make scapegoats out of migratory birds prematurely

Berlin-

In light of the present risk assessment of the introduction of the bird flu virus by migratory birds the Nature Protection Federation NABU has warned not to condemn the white stork as scape goat prematurely. "The probability that migratory birds such as the white storks become infected while resting during the migration is extremely remote", said NABU-Bird Protection Expert Markus Nipkow. It is hardly expected that white storks come in contact in Turkey with infected fowl. The travel behaviour of the Coat of Arms Bird of NABU is very well known. The female stork "Prinzesschen", outfitted with a satellite sending unit at the Stork Court Loburg, crossed Turkey within 10 days last year, a second stork managed the flight in only three days. "As a rule, intermediate stops are made by the white storks away from human habitat. Their behaviour is shier than in their breeding districts", continues Nipkow.

In contrast to the endangered Water fowl such as geese and ducks, storks prefer to rest in fields. As one of the Michael-Otto-Institute of NABU maps clarifies, are most rest areas of the storks situated outside of the Turkish provinces now affected by the bird flu. "Nowhere in world has the highly pathogenic bird flu virus been found in storks", emphasized Nipkow. Contrary to many fears has the illness not appeared in any of the African winter quarter regions. In contrast to this does the spread within Turkey - in the season when no bird migrations occur - that other factors may play a role in the spreading of the virus. NABU will continue to track "Adebars" return closely and test also excrement samples of returned storks. "Even if there is a single suspicion of a possibly infected animal, this will be made public. Thanks to the white stork protectors within Germany, exists in the country a second bird type with more good available information than the white stork", so Nipkow. The map of the actual rest and flight regions of the white storks can be found on NABU's website www.NABU.de

Markus Nipkow
NABU-Bird Protection Expert
Tel.: 02284036-155 (Germany)

Kai-Michael Thomsen
NABU-White Stork Expert
Tel.: 0162-9098072 (Germany)

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