According to this article, poor reporting of avian influenza in wild birds is impeding critical information about how the virus spreads. Basic information, including the bird’s species, age, sex, time of discovery and location is often inadequately reported, or not reported at all.

The article refers to a piece in the November 2006 issue of Bioscience that details how deficiencies in avian flu data collection can affect management and control measures and affect public perceptions about the disease. The authors of the article are calling for greater involvement by ecologists and ornithologists in the research and monitoring of bird flu.