Viral community structure in New Zealand's aquatic birds is associated with scavenging behavior.

Viral community structure in New Zealand's wild birds is strongly linked to scavenging behavior, with scavengers harboring more diverse viromes than non-scavengers.

• Why it matters: Understanding ecological factors driving viral diversity is crucial for predicting virus spread and zoonotic risks, especially in isolated regions with migratory connections.
• What they did: A large-scale metatranscriptomic survey analyzed 1,348 samples from 690 birds across 31 species, revealing 118 avian viruses, including 107 novel species, and assessing behavioral influences.
• The result: Findings show scavenging behavior explains more variation in viral communities than host taxonomy or geography, emphasizing host ecology's role in viral transmission and surveillance strategies.