Experimental feeding regime influences urban bird disease dynamics

Wild bird feeding often results in high densities of birds, potentially facilitating transmission of disease. Wild birds are major reservoirs of many zoonotic diseases, and although a number of avian disease outbreaks have been linked to bird feeders, urban bird-feeding and its role in disease systems remains poorly studied. We examined the impacts of typical supplementary feeding practices on the health status of feeder-visiting birds at experimental feeding stations in an urban area of New Zealand. Over an 18-month period, we screened birds captured at feeding and non-feeding properties for three pathogens and four groups of parasites to determine whether feeding altered disease dynamics. We also assessed body condition. All pathogens and parasites were detected in at least one garden bird species. Feeding stations tested positive for Salmonella enterica Typhimurium on ∼7% of occasions, confirming that structures used in feeding are a potential transmission pathway. Feeding influenced...野生鸟类投喂常导致鸟类局部聚集密度升高，进而可能促进疾病传播。野生鸟类是多种人畜共患病的主要储存宿主；尽管已有多起鸟类疾病暴发事件与鸟类投食器相关，但城市鸟类投喂行为及其在疾病传播系统中的作用仍未得到充分研究。本研究针对新西兰城市区域内的实验性投喂站点，探讨常规补饲行为对到访投喂点的野生鸟类健康状况的影响。在为期18个月的实验周期内，我们对投喂场地与非投喂场地捕获的野生鸟类开展了三种病原体与四类寄生虫的筛查，以明确投喂行为是否会改变疾病传播动态。同时我们还评估了受试鸟类的身体状况。所有目标病原体与寄生虫均在至少一种园林鸟类体内检出。投喂站点在约7%的检测批次中呈鼠伤寒沙门氏菌（Salmonella enterica Typhimurium）阳性，这证实了鸟类投喂设施可作为潜在的疾病传播途径。投喂行为可影响……