Mystery illness 'Magpie Paralysis Syndrome' sparks wildlife carer concern

Wildlife carers are worried about potential magpie population decline as hundreds of the birds continue to fall sick with a mystery paralysing and often fatal illness.

Perth's major wildlife hospital said it saw 500 sick or dying magpies with the disease over the past year, with another 500 recorded in the previous season.

Researchers working to determine its cause have now dubbed the illness Magpie Paralysis Syndrome.

It causes temporary bouts of paralysis in several black-and-white bird species but commonly occurs in magpies.

Cases remain high in Perth

WA Wildlife Hospital veterinary manager Meg Rodgers said while the illness was first detected in 2017, there was a "massive jump" in cases over the past two years.

Dr Rodgers said about half of the birds they treated for the disease died.

"Typically they are paralysed or unable to move their legs or very weak," she said.

"Some of them come in really, really unwell and unable to breathe properly and lift their head."

Dr Rogers said while there was concern about population decline in parts of the state, magpie numbers were not being tracked as there was no surveillance program in place.

Researchers face 'complex' challenge

Murdoch University scientist Flaminia Coiacetto is part of a team which has studied the disease for the past year.

The team, comprising epidemiologists, pathologists and clinical veterinarians, has ruled out any notifiable diseases, including avian influenza and botulism.

Dr Coiacetto has looked at post-mortem samples of affected birds to see if any changes in their tissue could shed light on the disease.

She said it was a very complex and time-consuming process as most changes were subtle and could be from a variety of unrelated diseases or exposure types from the animal's environment.

"There's a lot of work going on in the background to try and figure out what this is so we can do something about it."

According to Dr Coiacetto, the speed of research was often dictated by available funds, which is difficult to come by.

"A lot of the work we do is pro bono," she said.

Extent of spread unknown

While the city-based wildlife hospital and university has better resources and data, treating the birds in regional WA often falls to individuals or loose groups of wildlife carers.

Sandie Gillard noticed a huge spike in cases last year in Dunsborough, 250 kilometres south of Perth, a town known for its cluster of magpies.

"Since then, there has been a notable decline in the number of families in certain areas," she said.

Ms Gillard said there were 23 confirmed paralysis cases in town this season, and another 20 suspected cases.

On the outskirts of Geraldton, about 400 kilometres north of Perth, wildlife rescuer Michelle Jones said she too had noticed fewer magpies in her area.

"We're definitely seeing less come in, which is leading me to believe that they're not being found [when affected by the disease]," she said.

"We know that magpies are highly territorial, they're not going to pack up their whole family and go and move somewhere else.

"Sadly, that song of the magpie and that beautiful noise that we are used to hearing in the mornings is disappearing from our areas."

There are fears the disease was also spreading further inland to the Goldfields, with a local wildlife group reporting a trickle of cases in the past six months.

"We're expecting a spike in the coming summer," said Kama O'Donnell, president of Goldfields Native Animal Care.

Authorities unsure

In a statement, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development said it was aware of sporadic reports of bird deaths, including magpies, mudlarks and ravens.

"While previous laboratory testing was unable to confirm the cause of the bird deaths in all cases, DPIRD is confident they were not the result of a nationally notifiable disease," it stated.

"The public is encouraged to take photographs or a video record of dead birds, noting the location, and make a report to the relevant authority."