What to know about the bird flu outbreak in wild birds and what it means for backyard bird feeders

Washington (AP) – Bird flu Poultry farms and dairy products were destroyed, and sent The price of eggs Height in the United States since its first discovery in North America in late 2021.

But what was the losses Wilderness? More than 170 species of wild birds in North America – including ducks, geese, albums,,, and owls, Eagles And others – they have bird flu.

Take precautions around sick or dead wild birds, recommend experts. But you can maintain your bird feeding. Despite the spread of birds and other wild animals, scientists say the threat of the public is currently low.

What wild birds can get bird flu?

More than 12,000 individual birds have proven positive since the spread, according to the US Department of Agriculture.

“The count is” less “because most dead birds have not been transferred to a test laboratory.

Richards said that the roaming ducks, such as the Molard and the blue paper, can carry the virus with a few symptoms because “these viruses are common in water birds.” But ducks can get rid of the virus in their stools or saliva, and sometimes affects birds or other mammals such as foxes.

Birds that do not fortify natural immunity are likely to migrate or gather together in large herds, such as geese, in large numbers. Wildlife officials in early February said that the outbreak of the last bird flu between the migrants in Utah state killed between 15,000 and 25,000 birds near Great Solt Lake.

Sea birds, which tend to blasphemy in large numbers, are also greatly affected.

Michael Ji Barry, head of American bird protection, said that songs like northern or blue or chicadis – this type of bird that may visit bird nutrients – can get sick and death, but it seems that their population is better because they do not closely gather in large groups where the virus can spread.

What are the symptoms of bird flu in wild birds?

Symptoms differ, but they may include non -coordination, inability to fly and respiratory distress.

“If people see a wildlife that behaves a stranger, then the best thing they can do is to call for the rehabilitation of local wildlife” and avoid dealing with it directly, “said Dr. Dana Franzin Klin, Veterinary and Doctors Director at the Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota.

If you should handle an infected bird, it is best to wear gloves and mask as a preventive measure.

Is it safe that you have bird nourishing in the backyard?

Experts say that bird nutrients are generally safe and are not a noticeable source of influenza spread.

But if you also keep the backyard chicken, Parr of the American Bird Conservancy recommends the transfer of bird nutrients to prevent their potential transmission to poultry. Birdeders and nesting boxes should also be cleaned regularly.

He said that the risk of spreading to people of bird nutrients was “very low.”

How does the outbreak of bird flu affect the species of endangered birds?

In the case of endangered California California, scientists A. Vaccination program After some birds became infected. But this is not a realistic option for most types of wild birds.

Instead, experts recommend giving wild birds the best chance by taking other steps to protect habitats and reduce the various risks facing species, such as exposure to pesticides or Lead ammunition.

Federally protected eagles, but they are no longer threatened with extinction, they will eat dead animals. Richards said: “In that first year, we lost a lot of eagles,” we are likely to eat the upper eagles who eat the injured ducks or transfer them to their nests.

Scientists also documented an unusually large number of eagle chicken that did not survive the stage of adulthood during the first reproductive season after the virus appeared in North America, most likely because the chicks got the virus or sick parents who were unable to feed and care for their own.

But over time, the number of infection in the country decreased from 427 in 2022 to 48 last year.

This may mean that the eagles that survived in the first year now have some acquired immunity, Franzin Klin said. In the last migration season, the researchers calculated a record number of bald eagles who migrate across the north of Minnesota.

“There are good signs of hope,” she said.

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