Potential impacts of 2.3.4.4b highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus infection on Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens) movement ecology
While wild waterfowl are known reservoirs of avian influenza viruses and facilitate the movement of these viruses, there are notable differences in the response to infection across species. This study explored differential responses to infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza in Snow Geese ( Anser caerulescens ) located in the California Central Valley. Though H5 antibody prevalence was high across years among birds sampled in the winter (75% in both years via hemagglutination inhibition), these values were even higher among birds sampled in summer that failed to migrate (i.e., August 2023 = 100% and August 2024 = 93% via hemagglutination inhibition). Birds that failed to migrate were also generally lighter than birds sampled in the winter and presented notable damage to cerebrum and cerebellum. In December 2022, a single individual positive for infection with H5N1 at the time of sampling indicated reduced movement during the 14 days following sampling but completed spring migration comparably with uninfected conspecifics. However, while no birds were actively infected during sampling and marking in 2023, two marked geese departed for migration late and one did not migrate at all. Additional banded birds marked in August have been reencountered in scenarios ranging from hunter harvest at a different site over a year later to found dead shortly after banding. Our data indicate that Snow Geese infected with HPAI have the potential to express variable outcomes following infection with highly pathogenic H5N1, ranging from rapid recovery within a migratory season to death. These data also suggest that the abnormal failure of some Snow Geese to migrate from the Central Valley is likely driven by HPAI infection.