With confirmed cases detected in La Plata County poultry flocks this past week, it’s important for folks in the area to take proper steps to monitor and help contain the spread of avian influenza in their backyards, for the benefit of wild birds and domestic fowl. Knowledge of the virus is evolving almost daily.
We recommend monitoring birds in yards and at birdfeeders at a safe distance and checking regularly whether your local, state, or federal wildlife agencies are recommending that wild bird feeders be taken down. If at least one of your local agencies indicates to take down feeders, we recommend removing them.
The vast majority of cases of the HPAI H5N1 avian flu are currently in domestic birds and poultry, but there have been reports of it spreading to wild birds, particularly raptors, corvids, and waterfowl.
The spread of avian flu is concerning, but it does not appear to be spreading to or by migratory passerines at this time. Out of over 30 million cases in the U.S. so far, only 762 are in wild birds. The rest of the cases are in poultry (as of April 26, 2022).
Historically thought to predominantly infect domestic poultry and wild waterfowl species, the avian flu has spread into black-billed magpies (a visitor to backyard feeders) and other passerine bird species in the Rocky Mountain region.
Removing feeders will not harm wild birds, which can survive on natural food sources, but it may help save them. If you do choose to keep your feeders and water sources up, it’s imperative that you clean them regularly with a bleach:water solution of 1:9. If you have domestic poultry, you should not be feeding wild birds until transmission rates in the region decline.
If you find three or more dead birds near your home, please report them to CO Parks and Wildlife. For more information, visit the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s website.