Thousands of wild birds are dying of bird flu in Boise area, Idaho Fish and Game says

Nicole Blanchard, The Idaho Statesman on Dec 12, 2024

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BOISE, Idaho — Wild birds are dying by the thousands in the Treasure Valley because of avian flu outbreaks, according to a news release from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.

The agency said Wednesday that it received reports of large numbers of dead birds — many of them geese — at Fort Boise, Lake Lowell and in Parma recently. Fish and Game health program coordinator Stacey Dauwalter said in the news release that numbers are estimated to be in the thousands, and staff are cleaning up bird carcasses in some of the areas with the largest concentrations of deaths.

Dauwalter said removing the infected carcasses is “the best option we have to reduce impacts of avian influenza.”

The U.S. has seen repeated outbreaks of bird flu in recent years, including in backyard poultry flocks in 2022 and dairies since the start of the year. Three Idaho dairies, including one in Boise, were under a state quarantine for bird flu outbreaks as recently as two weeks ago, according to prior Idaho Statesman reporting.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the prevalent strain, H5N1, was first identified in the 1990s and is considered “highly pathogenic,” meaning it’s very contagious and can cause severe illness. The strain has been documented in humans as well as dogs and cats, livestock and a variety of mammal species, including skunks in Idaho.

Experts urge hunters to watch for bird flu

Fish and Game migratory game bird coordinator Jeff Knetter said in the agency’s news release that die-offs like the ones affecting the Treasure Valley are occurring all over the U.S., predominantly affecting “light geese” — species with light-colored heads like snow, blue and Ross’s geese.

Knetter said the mass deaths won’t have lasting impacts on the birds’ populations.

“The number of birds impacted is a very small proportion of the overall population, which exceeds a million birds,” he said in the news release.

Fish and Game officials said bird flu is most common in ducks and geese and noted that Southwest Idaho has become a major stopover for many migratory waterfowl species in recent years. At times, the migratory species have been seen in the tens of thousands in the region.

The agency said any live animals showing signs of disease — such as lethargy, gasping for air, coughing, sneezing and nasal discharge — should be left alone. Dead birds should be handled only while wearing disposable gloves and a mask and should be double-bagged and disposed of in the trash.

Fish and Game urged the public to report any sightings of sick or dead animals using its online reporting form.

Migratory bird hunting seasons opened for the Southwest Region in the fall and remain open as late as March for some species. Full season information and rules are available at the Fish and Game website.

Fish and Game pointed hunters to an additional online resource from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The federal agency recommends dressing harvested birds in the field while wearing disposable gloves and using dedicated tools that are kept away from poultry and other birds. Hunters are also encouraged to double-bag feathers and offal and to use a dedicated pair of shoes while dressing or wear rubber shoes that can be cleaned and disinfected before being worn elsewhere.

The USDA recommends washing hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based sanitizer immediately after handling any wild birds.

Bird flu poses risk to people, pets

Though the CDC said bird flu transmissions to humans are rare, there have been dozens of documented cases. Last month, Dr. David Pate, the former CEO of St. Luke’s Health System, told the Statesman it’s likely cases have been underreported in farmworkers who have close contact with poultry or cattle infected with the disease.

Idaho has not had any reported cases of bird flu in humans, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. But the state has looser safety regulations than some others, and testing among workers is voluntary.

There is currently no vaccine or targeted treatment for bird flu for humans or animals. The Cleveland Clinic describes bird flu’s symptoms in humans as similar to other flu strains — causing fever, fatigue, cough, body aches, runny nose, nausea, vomiting and other symptoms. It can potentially cause pneumonia, respiratory failure or other serious complications.

The hospital said sick people who have had close contact with birds should let health care professionals know to test for bird flu. Treatments can include antiviral medications used for other flu strains.

Pets are also at risk, particularly if they have contact with wild birds or infected livestock. Backyard poultry have the highest risk and should be kept away from wild birds.

It’s “extremely rare” for poultry to recover from the highly contagious flu, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. The association’s website includes recommendations for prevention, including keeping cats indoors, and recognizing the disease in various species.

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