IHAP, ENVT, INRAE, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France.
Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETHZürich, Mattenstrasse, Basel, Switzerland.
Sci Rep. 2022 Jun 13;12(1):9764. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-13846-2.
The role of commensal birds in the epidemiology of pathogens in poultry farms remains unclear. Our study aimed to identify potential key species for interactions with domestic ducks on one free-range duck farm in southwest France. Methods combined direct individual observations on duck outdoor foraging areas, network analysis, and general linear mixed models of abundances. Results showed a wide diversity of wild bird species visiting foraging areas, heavily dominated in frequency by White wagtails (Motacilla alba) and Sparrows (Passer domesticus and Passer montanus). These also were the only species seen entering duck premises or perching on drinkers in the presence of ducks. Moreover, White wagtails were the species most frequently observed on the ground and in close proximity to ducks. Network analysis suggested the role of White wagtails and Sparrows in linking ducks to other wild birds on the farm. The abundance of White wagtails was positively associated with open vegetation, with the presence of ducks and particularly in the afternoon, while the abundance of Sparrows was positively associated only with the fall-winter season. By precisely characterising interactions, the study was able to identify few wild bird species which should be prioritized in infectious investigations at the interface with poultry.
共生鸟类在禽场病原体流行病学中的作用尚不清楚。本研究旨在确定法国西南部一个自由放养鸭场中与家鸭相互作用的潜在关键物种。方法结合了对鸭户外觅食区的直接个体观察、网络分析和丰度的一般线性混合模型。结果显示，有多种野生鸟类访问觅食区，其中以白鹡鸰（Motacilla alba）和麻雀（Passer domesticus 和 Passer montanus）为主导。这些也是在鸭子在场的情况下进入鸭舍或栖息在饮水器上的唯一物种。此外，白鹡鸰是最常观察到在地面上并与鸭子近距离接触的物种。网络分析表明，白鹡鸰和麻雀在将鸭子与农场其他野生鸟类联系起来方面发挥了作用。白鹡鸰的丰度与开阔植被呈正相关，与鸭子的存在有关，特别是在下午，而麻雀的丰度仅与秋冬季节呈正相关。通过精确描述相互作用，该研究能够确定少数应在与家禽交界的传染性调查中优先考虑的野生鸟类物种。
