migratory birds and avian flu

[John Leonard <>]

There has been talk recently on Birding Aus of how detached people are
from nature. This isn't confined by any means to non-scientists and
those who haven't had a tertiary education.

For example look at this article in New Scientist

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=mg18725074.100

About some migratory birds in north-western China, 6000 of which have
died of some vrius. The article goes on to speculate that these
migratory birds (the ones still living) might migrate and spread the
virus to India, Australia and eastern Europe, and if it's avian flu and
mutates to spread to humans....

The crucial information we're not given is what species these birds
are, without this piece of information the whole argument falls down. I
have heard from another source that the dead birds were Bar-headed
Geese. But whether any of the other birds were species which migrate to
Australia, or whether these were infected is not stated. Nor is any
information about the different species different flight paths given.

More information please.

-- 
John Leonard
Canberra
Australia
www.jleonard.net