A new threat to Britain’s beloved blackbirds has emerged as the Usutu virus spreads across southern England. First detected in the UK during the summer of 2020, this mosquito-carried disease has already been linked to a significant drop in blackbird numbers in some areas. The impact is particularly stark in Greater London, where blackbird populations have fallen by 40% since the virus was first found. Dr. Arran Folly from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) notes the virus’s unexpected persistence and spread, which now reaches from Dorset to Cambridgeshire. “We’ve seen that the virus has spread further than we … Continue reading Blackbird Drop by 40% in London Sparks Usutu Virus Warning Across Southern England