Disease Exposure and Environmental Variables

Is it landscape variables such as sources of water, urban environments, or pristine habitat that are increasing rates of exposure?
Is it the prey the nestlings are eating in those landscapes that facilitate the introduction?
What impacts are pathogens having on Golden Eagle nestlings as they develop?

West Nile virus and Avian Influenza are just a few of the pathogens that can impact the health of birds and humans alike. Monitoring for such diseases is an important tool to protect local communities, livestock, and wildlife populations. In addition, with the rise in zoonotic diseases, early detection can make the difference between small and large scale management decisions.

In addition, in wildlife populations that are vulnerable due to an ever-increasing list of threats, what types of impacts are they having on individual development? What could those impacts mean for the population overall? As Golden Eagle nestlings grow, immune function is only one piece that requires energy allocation for development. Does being exposed to more stressors such as disease increase immune function but decrease physiological development in other areas? Does it effect fitness or survival overall?