Usutu Virus Slashes London Blackbirds by 40%

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A deadly virus carried by mosquitoes has arrived in Britain, and blackbirds are paying the ultimate price across southern England.

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Greater London has lost 40% of its blackbird population since 2020 - the most dramatic decline scientists have recorded in decades.

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The Usutu virus travels thousands of miles from southern Africa to reach British shores, marking a historic first for mosquito-borne diseases here.

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Common house mosquitoes now carry this lethal virus between birds, thriving in Britain's increasingly warm and wet climate.

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Infected blackbirds show disturbing symptoms - seizures, loss of coordination, and sudden death strike without warning.

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The virus has spread far beyond initial predictions, now reaching from Dorset to Cambridgeshire in just four years.

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Climate change creates perfect conditions for virus-carrying mosquitoes, with longer summers and heavy rainfall expanding their breeding grounds.

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Scientists launch "Blackbirds in Gardens" project to track the real impact - but the data reveals alarming acceleration since 2020.

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While human risk remains low, this marks the first time a mosquito-spread animal-to-human virus has established itself in Britain.

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Rural and northern England show stable blackbird populations, but southern cities face an uncertain future for these beloved garden visitors.

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The Vector-Borne RADAR initiative now monitors the virus's every move, tracking its potential to spread to other British wildlife.

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Blackbirds remain common across most of the UK, but their southern strongholds face an unprecedented biological challenge.

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