by Kay Charter This is the time of year when the last of the birds overwintering in the tropics return to their temperate nesting grounds, wildflowers bloom in profusion and tiny male spring peepers raise their collective voices from ponds and wetlands in search of mates. Birders take to the field armed with binoculars and spotting scopes in increasing numbers and mushroomers prowl the woods in search of morels. And since 1999, it is the time of year when concerns over West Nile Virus percolate to the surface. West Nile Virus (WNV), a mosquito-borne pathogen, was once confined to Africa, the Middle East and Europe. It is a virus that affects various species, including humans, birds and horses. As with many other diseases in this shrinking world, it has made its way to North America. The first human deaths in New York City precipitated an immediate response; then Mayor Rudy Giuliani ordered up massive spraying. Did it work? It did not. Because spraying only kills mosquitoes within a few feet of the source, most did not die from the poisonous fog. Moreover, since only the adults are killed, hatchlings quickly appeared to replace those that were killed. Thus the virus survived. And it has spread. Since the first reported case, WNV has not only moved across this country, it has made its way into Canada and Mexico. Where sprays are used, dragonflies and damselflies which prey on mosquitoes are poisoned, too. Other predators, like frogs, toads, fish, salamanders and birds, are also killed by these chemicals. The end result is more, rather than fewer mosquitoes. Worse, these pesticides have been linked to a wide range of human health problems, from not so serious headaches and nausea to more dangerous conditions like cancer, reproductive problems, and endocrine disruption. So if spraying for the host (mosquitoes) isn't the answer, then what is? First we need to understand the risk; this virus is a disease that primarily affects birds with relatively few humans affected. The Center for Disease Control reports that each year influenzas cause 114,000 people in the U.S. to be hospitalized. About 20,000 people die because of the flu. From 1999, when West Nile was first detected in this country, through 2002, a total of 230 people succumbed to it. This is not to in any way minimize the agony for those who have lost loved ones, but rather to put the risk to humans in perspective The fact is that you are far more likely to fall victim to one of the many strains of influenza that race across the land every fall and winter than you are to die from WNV. There are steps you can take to protect yourself. While there is currently no vaccine for WNV, wearing long pants and shirts with long sleeves and using insect repellents with DEET (such as Off and Cutter) will significantly reduce mosquito bites. Make sure your window and door screens are tight fitting and in good repair. Eliminate breeding sites by cleaning gutters, emptying containers like flower pots that hold rain water. Clean your bird bath at least once a week. And, if your immune system is compromised, stay indoors during early morning and evening hours. It is clear that WNV is with us, that it is here to stay and that, like it or not, we're going to have to learn to live with it. We should do that in a way that doesn't adversely affect our wild world unnecessarily. And we need to remember that greatest risk from this disease is to birds. While it was once believed that corvids like crows and jays were more apt to be infected, it is now clear that many species fall victim to the disease. Hawks, owls and backyard birds like chickadees and goldfinches have also been affected. David Sibley said during his program in Traverse City last fall that this virus is bound to spread to the tropics. When it does, it may decimate or even eliminate small, indigenous bird populations such as the Bumble Bee Hummingbird in Cuba. We can only hope that won't happen. In the meantime, it won't help any of these species - or our own - if our first response to West Nile is to call out the spray trucks. This article appeared in the Traverse City Record-Eagle, in Kay Charter's birding column called "On the Wing", on May 23, 2003.