Deadly Bird Flu Outbreak Hits Migrating Geese And Ducks In Willamette Valley – KXL

State wildlife officials are warning the public to keep their distance from wild birds as a severe outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) sweeps through migrating flocks across western Oregon.

Cases and health response

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) reported an influx of sick and dead birds, with the vast majority concentrated in the Willamette Valley.

Cackling geese—a smaller relative of the Canada goose—are bearing the brunt of the current wave.

Because there is no cure or effective treatment for HPAI in wild or domestic flocks, wildlife rehabilitation facilities cannot admit infected birds.

Wildlife managers urge the public not to attempt capturing live, sick birds.

In wild waterfowl, clinical signs develop rapidly, and infected birds typically die within 72 hours. Common symptoms include: Not all species display obvious signs.

Certain dabbling ducks can carry HPAI asymptomatically, shedding large quantities of the virus into wetlands and waterways through their feces.

The virus can also jump to wild mammals—such as scavengers that feed on diseased carcasses—causing neurological distress or death.