BONUS WILDLIFE DISEASE INSTALLMENT: Bird flu and you: a refresher on what to do if you find a dead bird

Hi everyone! 

This is a refresh of information that was available last winter on H5N1 (bird flu)…

With all the news last winter about bird flu (and now not much coverage at all) I think it is important to specifically call out how to identify signs of bird flu and remind everyone what to do should you find a sick or dead bird (or birds) in the monument. 

Birds die for all sorts of reasons such as collisions (vehicle, powerline, and window strikes), predation, and hunting. If you find a dead bird, see if you can determine if one of these is most likely. If there are no obvious signs of these causes then disease may have played a role.  

Resource Stewardship and Science (RSS) staff are especially interested in receiving reports of birds that show signs of possible disease.  RSS will work with NPS wildlife health veterinarians and/or state wildlife agency partners to determine if testing is warranted and how to dispose of the carcass if special precautions are required.

I’ve updated park guidance on dead birds and attached it here along with NPS bird flu talking points. Please share with your staff that don’t have regular access to email and those that live in park housing. I have also updated the wildlife disease folder on the Sharepoint: DINO Wildlife Disease Information

Please contact Bob Schelly or me with anything related to sick or dying wildlife.  

Bird flu in wild birds

The highly pathogenic avian influenza virus, referred to as HPAI H5N1, has been widely circulating in poultry and wild birds across many European and Asian countries for the last several years. In November 2021, this virus strain was detected in Newfoundland, Canada, and in January 2022, it was detected in the United States. HPAI H5N1 has affected commercial poultry operations, backyard flocks, wild birds and mammalian wildlife. Within the United States and Canada, the virus is causing illness and death in many species of wild birds, including raptors and avian scavengers (e.g., bald eagles, black vultures), seabirds (e.g., gulls, pelicans), waterfowl (e.g., lesser scaup, mallards), and geese (e.g., snow geese, Canada geese). Sick birds have been observed with neurological signs such as lethargy, tremors, and circling in water. Reports of neurologic illness and death in mammalian wildlife (e.g., foxes, mountain lions, skunks, raccoons, bears), including outbreaks in marine mammals (e.g. seals, sea lions), have also been increasing. In March/April 2024, HPAI H5N1 was reported in neonatal goats and dairy cows for the first time.

H5N1 is present in CO & UT and has been confirmed to date in Rio Blanco, Moffat, and Duchesne Counties.

There are usually few symptoms in waterfowl and shorebirds, but the virus can kill raptors and scavengers quickly. The virus is spread among birds through nasal and oral discharge, as well as fecal droppings. It can be spread to backyard poultry and domestic birds through contaminated shoes or vehicles.

Songbirds are not typically affected by avian flu, so as of January 2025 there is no official recommendation to remove bird feeders unless you also have backyard chickens or domestic ducks, which are susceptible to the virus. However, it’s always recommended to regularly clean bird feeders and baths.

While there have been over 60 confirmed reported human cases of bird flu associated mostly with commercial agricultural operations (dairy and poultry farms), as of January 2025 there is no documented person-to-person spread of bird flu and current public health risk is low.

There is a lot of variability in knowing when to report dead birds suspected of H5N1, so please work with RSS if you receive report of dead birds that are not obvious roadkill or show signs of predation, especially groups of the same species or solitary raptors. RSS will work with NPS wildlife health veterinarians and/or state wildlife agencies to determine if disease testing is necessary.

Stay sort of informed on bird flu news here: H5 Bird Flu: Current Situation | Bird Flu | CDC

Emily Spencer

Biologist

National Park Service

Dinosaur National Monument

4545 Highway 40

Dinosaur, CO 81610