Where have all the Blackbirds gone?
Arran Folly
Non-members are very welcome at this FREE event, which is suitable for anyone interested in wild birds or conservation - you don't have to be an expert.
Globally mosquito-borne diseases are expanding into new areas with concerning regularity. Usutu virus was first detected in the UK in 2020 in wild birds in Greater London. Since its detection Blackbird numbers have dropped by 51% in the capital. To improve our understanding of this virus and how it affects Blackbirds we worked closely with bird ringers to enhance surveillance in birds and mosquitoes combined with analysis of the British Trust for Ornithology’s Garden Bird Watch data.
Arran completed his PhD at Royal Holloway researching bumblebee diseases, before starting at the Animal and Plant Health Agency investigating mosquito-borne diseases. He currently leads Vector-Borne RADAR, a multi-agency research project, is a fellow of the Royal Entomological Society, and has presented and published on a variety of diseases, including making appearances on television and radio.
We will be meeting in person in Room G44, Edith Morley Building, on the Whiteknights Campus, but you can also join remotely via Zoom if you prefer. Please click here to join the meeting. You can join from 7.15 pm and the meeting will start at 7.30 pm. You will be muted when you join; please stay muted except when you have been asked to unmute, for recent sightings, questions, etc.
