With highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) infecting 38 sites in Minnesota as of Friday, the Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota is telling Minnesotans to consider removing any bird feeders or bird baths to help prevent further spread.
According to the Raptor Center, there is research showing what HPAI does to certain species of birds including water fowl and raptors, but what bird flu does to songbirds isn't quite as clear.
"The thought about bird feeders in backyards is that we don't know enough to know if songbirds are going to be at risk," said Dr. Victoria Hall, Executive Director of the Raptor Center and Veterinary Epidemiologist. "Because this outbreak is so unprecedented, anything humans can do to potentially help save a couple of lives and slow down some of the spread of virus isn't a bad idea to do for a couple of months."
So far, H5N1 has led to the deaths of over 1.8 million bird in Minnesota since it was first detected in the state on March 25. While many of the impacted sites are commercial sites, there is a smattering of backyard flocks which have been euthanized because of the virus.
Dr. Hall says they are seeing infected birds at a daily basis at the Raptor Center.
"We've had to stand-up a separate triage testing and quarantine building because these birds that are infected are so infectious to others, we want to protect our education birds and our other patients," Hall added. "So they're all getting triaged as we wear full Tyvek suits and respiratory protection so we can hopefully not cause any spread within our environment."
Unfortunately, there is very little to be done when it comes to saving birds that come to the Raptor Center infected with HPAI. Dr. Hall says that bird flu is roughly 90 to 100 percent fatal for raptors, and that eagles and great horned owls have died.
"The birds that we see are just incredibly suffering. At that point, the kindest thing we can do is humane euthanasia," she said. "Different species of birds might present symptoms differently. And some birds, like ducks, show no signs of illness despite being infected."
Zoos are also facing challenges when it comes to keeping their bird collections safe. Dr. Hall was the Veterinary Epidemiologist at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington D.C. and saw firsthand how biosecurity protocols are implemented.
"A lot of what they're doing is trying to protect any virus from getting into their collections," she said. "A lot of zoos are starting to put their birds inside so the have no opportunity to interact with wild birds."
Those response plans include biosecurity protocols for humans.
"We know people can bring in viruses on their shoes, clothes, and share equipment. The good news is that zoos are really well prepared, but there's going to be a lot of efforts that they have to do to keep birds, including critically endangered birds, safe during this time of unprecedented spread in birds."