Manky Parrots: Mapping Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease in Australia

Brief description

Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease (PBFD) is caused by a virus, and it affects all species of parrots and cockatoos (Order Psittaciformes). Visible symptoms of the disease include deformation of the bill and feathers: the bill may appear malformed or unusually elongated, and feathers may look oddly shaped or have been lost in patches. In species with green plumage, the presence of scattered yellow feathers throughout the plumage may indicate early signs of the disease. This disease can be fatal and there is no cure or vaccine available. One of the objectives of this project is to understand how this disease is spread across different regions, and the first step towards understanding this is to identify where it is occurring. That's where we'd like your help!