Nature Squad
Tracking disease affecting birds

Another chapter in the continuing adventures of the Hawai‘i Nature Squad.

The Nature Squad was having a get-together at Kapi‘olani Park to honor a squad member.

"You’ve got to try the fruit fly salad and the cricket poki . . . ," began detective Andy Anole.

"Shush!" his partner Penny Pinao suddenly broke in. "Sergeant ‘Amakihi is about to give his retirement speech."

"Have you ever wondered why he wears that eye patch?" whispered Andy.

Hearing a sound, Andy and Penny turned to see a gray dove balanced on crutches.

"Name’s Mick. I overheard the two of you talking," the dove said. "Thought you might like to know that your sergeant’s blind eye is a result of a bird virus known as avian pox. It’s the same disease that led to my toes becoming deformed. That’s why I use these crutches. The virus causes bumps to grow on places where we birds don’t have any feathers."

Penny’s dragonfly wings began to quiver. "Andy, this could be a break in a challenging case," she said. "Amber Buzzell, of Epiphany School, had asked why a lot of the zebra doves around Waikiki have weird-looking toes."

Andy turned back to Mick. "How do birds get this disease?" he asked.

"Well," said Mick, "I caught it from my siblings while we were still in the nest. It’s a lot like that human virus, the chicken pox — very contagious."

"I don’t get it," complained Andy. "How could Sergeant ‘Amakihi catch the disease when he never comes into contact with city birds?"

"Maybe birds aren’t the only ones who spread avian pox," suggested the wounded dove. "Hmm . . . There have been reports of a high-pitched hum just days before bumps appeared on infected birds."

"Sounds like we have another mystery to solve," said Penny.

Later that day . . .

"Talk about flying first-class!" yelled Andy as he rode on Sergeant ‘Amakihi’s back into the forest. He slid down the soft, green feathers and landed on a koa tree branch. "Thanks for agreeing to be bait, Sarge!"

Suddenly an irritating, high-pitched hum could be heard over the tops of the ‘ohi‘a trees.

"A mosquito!" yelled Andy. "She’s going straight for the sergeant’s legs!"

In a blink of an eye, Penny scooped up the mosquito in her lower jaw.

"Nature Squad! We have reason to believe you may be carrying a harmful bird disease!" Andy shouted at the quaking mosquito. "Have you bitten any city birds lately?"

"Well, yes, as a matter of fact . . . ," started the mosquito.

Andy used a tiny syringe to extract a few drops of blood from the suspect’s abdomen, then tested it in his portable lab kit.

"It’s positive!" confirmed Andy. "This mosquito is carrying avian pox in her blood. A mosquito like her could bite an infected city bird, then transmit the disease through the blood when the mosquito bites a native forest bird."

"Case solved!" exclaimed Penny.

"Hawai‘i Nature Squad" is written by Kim Welch, Kelly Perry and Ati Jeffers-Fabro of Hawai‘i Nature Center.

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