Behavioral Ecology of Two Teal Species (Blue-Winged Teal, Anas discors, and Green-Winged Teal, Anas crecca) Overwintering in Marshes of Coastal Louisiana, USA

Feeding and other dominant activities of Blue-winged Teal (BWT, Anas discors) and Green-winged Teal (GWT, Anas crecca) were compared from October 1987 to March 1988 in southwestern Louisiana, USA. Three observation towers were constructed near similar intermediate marsh habitats in areas where BWT and GWT concentrated for feeding. These observation towers allowed activities of the two species to be compared throughout the nonbreeding season. Although BWT and GWT often fed together, time spent in various activities differed. Feeding was the most frequent activity of both BWT(64.5%) and GWT (55.3%), but BWT spent more time feeding (P \u3c 0.01) and alert (P \u3c 0.05), but spent less (P \u3c 0.01) time resting than GWT. Within each species there were differences in activity budgets among daily time blocks and among months, but few differences among the three habitats studied. Temperature and light intensity were correlated with resting (+), feeding (-), locomotion (-), and preening (+). Daily and monthly activity budgets of BWT and GWT were similar, as were ingested foods, suggesting that these two species used the study areas primarily for foraging, and left the areas for other activities. Predation and diminished resources during late winter may have affected activities of BWT and GWT as well

Behavioral Ecology of Two Teal Species (Blue-Winged Teal, Anas discors, and Green-Winged Teal, Anas crecca) Overwintering in Marshes of Coastal Louisiana, USA

Feeding and other dominant activities of Blue-winged Teal (BWT, Anas discors) and Green-winged Teal (GWT, Anas crecca) were compared from October 1987 to March 1988 in southwestern Louisiana, USA. Three observation towers were constructed near similar intermediate marsh habitats in areas where BWT and GWT concentrated for feeding. These observation towers allowed activities of the two species to be compared throughout the nonbreeding season. Although BWT and GWT often fed together, time spent in various activities differed. Feeding was the most frequent activity of both BWT(64.5%) and GWT (55.3%), but BWT spent more time feeding (P \u3c 0.01) and alert (P \u3c 0.05), but spent less (P \u3c 0.01) time resting than GWT. Within each species there were differences in activity budgets among daily time blocks and among months, but few differences among the three habitats studied. Temperature and light intensity were correlated with resting (+), feeding (-), locomotion (-), and preening (+). Daily and monthly activity budgets of BWT and GWT were similar, as were ingested foods, suggesting that these two species used the study areas primarily for foraging, and left the areas for other activities. Predation and diminished resources during late winter may have affected activities of BWT and GWT as well

Behavioral Risks for West Nile Virus Disease, Northern Colorado, 2003

Protective practices may affect the level of illness in a community

Rapid West Nile Virus Antigen Detection

We compared the VecTest WNV antigen assay with standard methods of West Nile virus (WNV) detection in swabs from American Crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) and House Sparrows (Passer domesticus). The VecTest detected WNV more frequently than the plaque assay and was comparable to a TaqMan reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction

First isolation of La Crosse virus from naturally infected Aedes albopictus.

La Crosse (LAC) virus, a California serogroup bunyavirus, is the leading cause of pediatric arboviral encephalitis in the United States and an emerging disease in Tennessee, West Virginia, and North Carolina. Human cases of LAC encephalitis in Tennessee and North Carolina have increased above endemic levels during 1997 to 1999 and may represent an expansion of a new southeastern endemic focus. This report describes the isolation of LAC virus from the exotic mosquito Aedes albopictus. The discovery of LAC virus in wild populations of Ae. albopictus coupled with its expanding distribution in the southeastern United States, suggests that this mosquito may become an important accessory vector, potentially increasing the number of human cases in endemic foci or expanding the range of the disease

Sequential toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) for the characterizing toxicity of Venice Lagoon sediment: Comparison of two different appraches.

http://dx.medra.org/10,1016/j.ecoenv.2008.06.01

West Nile virus in overwintering Culex mosquitoes, New York City, 2000.

After the 1999 West Nile (WN) encephalitis outbreak in New York, 2,300 overwintering adult mosquitoes were tested for WN virus by cell culture and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. WN viral RNA and live virus were found in pools of Culex mosquitoes. Persistence in overwintering Cx. pipiens may be important in the maintenance of WN virus in the northeastern United States

VecTest as Diagnostic and Surveillance Tool for West Nile Virus in Dead Birds

The VecTest WNV assay is adequate for diagnostic and surveillance purposes in American Crows, Blue Jays, and House Sparrows