Learning from long term wild bird surveillance in the Netherlands
23 April 2024
Representatives from all VB RADAR collaborative institutions jumped on the Eurostar to Rotterdam to discuss surveillance and impact of zoonotic flaviviruses where wild birds are a primary host.
We got to share the current UK Usutu virus (USUV) data and catch up on how active bird surveillance and analysis is undertaken in the Netherlands. This is a programme that has been running for more than 8 years.
Following a day of talks and lab tours we headed out at the break of dawn to meet bird ringers in Utrecht, a group who undertake sampling for flaviviruses. We got to see first hand how birds are selected, appropriately sampled and released, all while having the highest concern for animal welfare.
Overall, we had a fantastic trip and come back informed, potential collaborations on the horizon and excited to start sampling wild passerines in the UK for the project.