Blackbirds In South Of England Struggling As Climate-Linked Virus Spreads

In south east England, blackbird populations have drastically decreased, with numbers down by 32 percent compared to 2019. The Usutu virus, believed to be linked to the climate crisis, is thought to be a major factor in this decline, having spread to London in 2020. The virus is transmitted by UK mosquitoes in warm weather and was originally from South Africa via Europe.

The climate crisis is creating ideal conditions for mosquitoes to thrive in new areas, leading to the spread of diseases like the Usutu virus. The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) has called on the public for help in surveying blackbirds in gardens to understand how the disease is spreading. This decline in blackbird numbers adds to the larger issue of shrinking bird populations in the UK, with almost half of all native bird species experiencing declines, including the impact of avian flu on certain seabirds and waterfowl.