Date: 8/27/12 7:57 am
From: Frank Marenghi <frank_marenghi...>
Subject: [MDBirding] No sighting: Avian botulism hits Poplar Island birds



Here is a link to a news article from Saturday's Capital Gazette:

http://www.capitalgazette.com/news/environment/avian-botulism-hits-poplar-island-birds/article_13c31006-0f40-5f9e-8a9c-36830eed4839.html#user-comment-area

There is quite a bit online about this naturally occuring pathogen if you are interested in digging deeper. It is basically caused by exposure to bay-bottom sediments which the birds are not normally exposed to. It could also be spread by feeding on dead fish that harbor the bacteria.

Frank Marenghi
Annapolis, MD

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