#BirdFlu: Should You Take Down Your Feeders?

By Lori Vanover, updated April 2022

"In wild birds, waterfowl including ducks, geese, and swans, are the main group impacted. It can be fatal in these species, although often they carry and transmit the virus without showing symptoms. Other birds including raptors like hawks and eagles, as well as shorebirds and gulls have also tested positive for HPAI H5N1 during this outbreak. Research has shown songbirds are less likely to contract bird flu and are less likely to shed large amounts of the virus. A small number of corvid species (crows, jays, and magpies) have tested positive.

"Visible symptoms of bird flu include runny eyes, swelling, and lethargy.

"Poultry operations are especially feeling the effects of bird flu. When the disease is detected in domestic poultry, flocks are depopulated to prevent the disease from spreading and removed from the food system. Other area flocks are then monitored for the disease.

Is it Safe to Feed Wild Birds Right Now?

"A small number of corvids, including jays and crows, have tested positive for bird flu. [Other species as well. Outdated information!]

"There is no official recommendation to take down feeders unless you also keep domestic poultry, according to the National Wildlife Disease Program.

"Ken says, 'The Cornell Lab of Ornithology and United States Department of Agriculture have both stated that bird feeding is safe. Out of an abundance of caution, some agencies initially suggested taking feeders down, but these guidelines have been scaled back. Currently, I’m not aware of any restrictions in place on bird feeders.'

"He further explains if you raise poultry and live in an area where avian influenza is being reported, you could consider removing bird feeders in the short term. 'Past outbreaks of avian flu have generally waned by early summer,' he says.

"Joy O’Keefe, assistant professor and Illinois Extension wildlife specialist in the Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences, advises homeowners to plant #NativeShrubs and #wildflowers this spring for their backyard birds. 'In the absence of feeders, birds should be able to find natural sources of food from sprouting native plants and emerging insects, she says. [However, this year, there was NOT as much berries because of #ClimateChange, drought, and heatwaves.]

"The Illinois Department of Natural Resources says hummingbird feeders and oriole feeders do not need to be removed. Check with your state wildlife agency for updated guidelines in your area.

Clean Your Feeders to Reduce the Spread of Disease

"Clean your feeders and bird baths regularly to keep birds healthy

"Maintaining clean feeders and bird baths is always important. Scrub your feeders clean with some soapy water and a good stiff brush. Then soak them in a 10% bleach solution (1 part bleach to 9 parts water) for a few minutes. Next, rinse them very thoroughly and let them dry completely before putting them back outside. Here’s how to clean a bird bath.

"Ken points out it’s also important to maintain a clean area around your feeders. 'If you aren’t feeding a no mess blend of seeds without any shells, rake up the empty hulls from under the feeders. You can also consider moving your feeding station around the yard to minimize accumulation,' he says. Try these no mess bird feeders to keep your yard clean.

"The USDA has issued #biosafety recommendations for #BackyardPoultry flocks. '#Poultry owners should keep things as clean as they can,' says Kenneth Koelkebeck, professor and Illinois Extension poultry specialist in the Animal Sciences department. 'Remove standing water if possible because it will attract migratory waterfowl.'

[A bunch of outdated information -- not included]

What to Do if You See Sick or Dead Birds

"Report sick or dead birds to your state wildlife agency or local agricultural extension agent. You can also contact the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Veterinary Services toll-free at 1-866-536-7593."

Source:
https://www.birdsandblooms.com/birding/birding-basics/bird-flu/
#HPAINews #H5N1 #HPAI #AvianInfluenza #BirdFlu #USHealth #Birding #Nature #BackyardFeeders #WeKeepUsSafe #CDCCensorship#Censorship #USFail

It's like 'dead birds flying': How #BirdFlu is spreading in the wild

By Gabrielle Emanuel, Goats And Soda
February 7, 20257:12 AM ET

"A little over a year ago, Marcela Uhart was walking on the beach in Punta Delgada, Argentina. It was peak breeding session on this peninsula known for its rich marine wildlife. Usually, the salty breeze brought with it the sounds of baby elephant seals calling to their moms in high pitched yells.

"'This time it was silent,' recalls Uhart. 'The beaches were just loaded with carcasses. We saw basically every [#ElephantSeal] pup dead. We estimate about 18,000 dead baby elephant seals.'

"Dead from bird flu.

"And it wasn't just elephant seals. There were #terns – with their yellow beaks and black heads – stumbling about having seizures on the sand. The scene played out again and again in the weeks that followed, up and down the coastline. 'It was like birds falling out of the sky, dead,' she says.

"Uhart is a veterinarian and director of the Latin America Program at the Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center at University of California, Davis. She arrived at the #PuntaDelgada beach suited up in a white hazmat suit, gloves and goggles in October 2023 ready to take samples and document the decimation. She's been tracking bird flu as it goes from one bird species to another — from seabirds to waterfowl to birds of prey — and then to marine mammals from sea lions to dolphins and then, sometimes, jumping back to birds.

"'It's just like wildfire. I mean it just killed everything it encountered,' she says, speaking to #NPR from #Argentina.

"In the U.S., bird flu headlines have focused on an unprecedented number of American cases and the impact of the virus on dairy cows and on poultry farms. But wildlife researchers like Uhart say the dramatic scene in Argentina is evidence that something new — and ominous — is going on with the virus that causes bird flu. And that ignoring it puts human health in peril.

A 'relay race' that started in 2020 and 2021

"'I've been studying flu viruses closely since 1980 and there are days when I wake up feeling like I know less about flu now than I did 10 years ago,' says Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. That's especially true, he says, of bird flu.

"The particular virus that causes bird flu — H5N1 — itself is not new. It's a disease that originated in east Asia, first detected in China in 1996. The virus has mostly terrorized poultry farms and led to massive culling. It has occasionally spilled over to humans, causing some 400 deaths over the decades, but rarely spreads human-to-human. And while it has jumped over into wild birds periodically — killing many birds in many places — it never took off globally.

"Then came 2020 and 2021, when the version that's driving the current outbreak emerged.

"The virus evolved so some wild birds are able to migrate just far enough to reach another bird community or mammal population to pass the virus on before dying.

"'What you see here is like a relay race,' Uhart says. 'We were all skeptical that this could be possible, but then somehow this started happening.'

"'We've gone from this concept of dead birds don't fly to this new virus that seems to be a bit more like dead bird flying,' explains Erik Karlsson, head of the Virology Unit at the Institut Pasteur du Cambodge in Cambodia and the director of the National Influenza Center of Cambodia.

"This means that the virus doesn't just stick around on poultry farms and periodically jump over into wildlife, but can sustain itself in wild birds, moving from one flock to the next without burning itself out.

"Scientists are still trying to understand exactly how the virus spreads between animals. One theory is that scavenger birds feast on mammal carcasses 'that are loaded with virus, then they get infected, obviously, and can spread it easily on their feet or beaks,' says Uhart. Another theory, she says: "It could be that [animals] poop in the water and the other animals drink [that water].' [That's what I think...]

"One theory of transmission is that birds come into contact with animals, like these elephant seal pups, who have died of bird flu — and pick up the virus.

How far can dead birds fly?

"Wild birds are particularly well suited to take this virus global — and fast.

"'If the natural reservoir for this virus was any other animal species than birds, we might expect to see it only located on a certain continent because animals don't swim across oceans. They don't climb over mountain ranges. The one animal species that does is birds,' says Osterholm.

"Traveling in infected wild birds, the virus took off and jumped over to North America in late 2021. From there, it went to #SouthAmerica leaving, destruction in its wake.

"'In South America, it traveled the 6,000 kilometer spine in about six months,' says Michelle Wille, senior research fellow at the Center for Pathogen Genomics at the University of Melbourne. 'So this is a virus that's not assisted by airplanes. This is a virus that's traveling by mass mortality after mass mortality after mass mortality after mass mortality.' It is killing not just birds in large numbers but also mammals, like elephant seals and #SeaLions, as well as #porpoises, #dolphins and #otters to a lesser degree.

"This year, South America has been a lot quieter. 'Surprisingly, Brazil does not have these recent cases in wild birds,' says Helena Lage Ferreira, a veterinary biologist at the University of São Paulo who studies #AvianFlu. Her team has tried to determine whether the birds have acquired #immunity. So far, results have been unclear. 'It's very difficult to understand," she says.

"Meanwhile, there's a new part of the planet at risk. Researchers are realizing the virus is now plaguing #Antarctica.

"They worry about this trend because Antarctica is a particularly hard place to study — and many of the animals that live there don't live elsewhere in the world. Even if there are researchers on the ground to collect samples, 'you have to wait for months and months on months, until those samples actually get to a lab, potentially also in the opposite hemisphere of the world,' says Uhart. And, by that time, she speculates, the virus will have already spread much further.

"This adds to a broader problem: Globally, nobody knows how many wild animals the virus has killed.

"'No one's counting. We have no idea,' says Wille. 'It is a global catastrophe'
Wildlife with the virus are bad news for humans

"Researchers say the rapid spread is catastrophic for the animal species that are being hard hit. For example, in #Peru, thousands of Peruvian #pelicans have died. 'In a few weeks, almost one in two individuals of a species that just completely disappeared,' says Wille. And, she adds, it's still too early to know how these mass die-offs will impact ecosystems but it's likely to be significant.

"On top of that, this matters for human health.

"Wille and a team of other wildlife experts estimate that millions of birds have been infected and died, and tens of thousands of marine mammals have died. Each animal that is infected — particularly mammals — is another chance for the virus to evolve and become better suited to infecting people.

"This rapid evolution was evident earlier this year, when the first U.S. person — from Louisiana — died of bird flu. When scientists sequenced the virus from different organs from the body, they found 'the virus was changing within,' says Uhart. While this patient didn't pass the virus on to other people, Uhart says this case indicates how quickly the virus can change.

"There's another element in this genetic game. The virus is able to mix and match its genes with local influenza viruses if one animal is infected with multiple flu viruses. As this highly deadly bird flu virus arrives in new places it can mingle with a big pool of less deadly flu viruses and create new 'Frankenstein' viruses, explains Wille.

"And with each genetic change, there is the chance the virus could become more severe.

"At the moment, the virus can infect humans but has not yet evolved to jump readily from one human to another. That could change.

"And without keeping up with the virus's journey in wild animals, experts worry, humans will be caught unprepared and ill-equipped to tackle bird flu.

"'Ever since #H5N1 [bird flu] showed up,' says Osterholm, 'I tend to sleep with one eye open.'"

https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2025/02/07/g-s1-46402/bird-flu-wild-animals-mammals-virus?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us
#HPAINews #HPAI #AvianInfluenza #BirdFlu #USHealth #CDCCensorship #WorldHealth #Extinction #Wildlife

#AvianInfluenzaA (#H5N1) in #cats

AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association)

"Since the U.S. outbreak of avian influenza A (H5N1) in dairy cattle began in March 2024, dozens of cats are known to have contracted the virus, including barn and feral cats, indoor cats, and big cats in zoos and in the wild (e.g., mountain lions, tigers, leopards, and bobcats). Cats were already known to be susceptible to the H5N1 virus, with several feline cases linked to poultry or wild bird exposure before the cattle outbreak began.

"Cats appear to be particularly susceptible to severe illness, often resulting in death. The good news is that infection can be prevented with a few simple practices.

How do cats become infected?

"Recent investigations implicate food as a source of infection for cats, most often unpasteurized milk and raw or undercooked meat (e.g., poultry). Other potential sources include:

- Raw colostrum and other unpasteurized dairy products (like cream)
- Exposure to infected wild birds or poultry
- Exposure to people who work on affected farms and to their clothing or other fomites

What are the clinical signs of H5N1 in cats?

"Illness may start with loss of appetite, lethargy, and fever, then quickly progress, with cats exhibiting:

- Neurologic signs (e.g., ataxia, circling, tremors, seizures, or blindness)
- Severe depression
- Copious oculonasal discharge
- Other respiratory signs, including tachypnea, dyspnea, and possibly sneezing or coughing

What should cat owners do if H5N1 is suspected?

To play it safe, cat owners should:

- Call their veterinary clinic—before taking cats in to be seen—and describe any clinical signs they have noticed so that the veterinary team can be ready when the patient arrives.
- Limit their cat’s contact with immunocompromised individuals if any exposure to the virus is possible.
- Protect themselves and others from influenza by following recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) [Since that might not be an option, see recommendations below].
- Monitor their family and other animals that might have been exposed for signs of illness, and report any human illness to their local public health official.

How can H5N1 infection be prevented in cats?

Cat owners and caretakers are urged to follow these tips:

- Refrain from feeding cats any dairy products or colostrum that have not first been pasteurized or thoroughly cooked to kill the virus.
- Thoroughly cook meat before feeding, and avoid feeding raw meat-based treats or diets.
- Keep cats indoors to prevent exposure to birds and other wildlife.
- Avoid contact with sick or dead birds and other wildlife yourself.
- Keep cats away from livestock, poultry, and their environments, especially in areas with known H5N1 outbreaks.
- Take steps to prevent contact between captive big cats and wild birds (e.g., covering enclosures with netting and removing bird attractants nearby) in areas where H5N1 is circulating.
- Thoroughly wash your hands after handling your cat and after any encounters with poultry, livestock, or wild birds and other animals.
- Change your clothes and shoes, and thoroughly wash any exposed skin, after interacting with sick or dead animals that may harbor the H5N1 virus, and before interacting with your cat.
- If you feed birds or walk near bird feeders or other places birds (including poultry) gather, change your shoes or disinfect their soles before entering your house.
- Immediately contact your veterinarian if you notice signs of H5N1 or think your cat might have been exposed to the virus.

What should I do if I suspect a cat has H5N1?

"The risk of cats spreading H5N1 to people is considered extremely low, but is not zero. If you suspect a cat has H5N1:

- Take steps to protect yourself and other members of your veterinary team, as described by the CDC.
- Use your clinic’s protocols for isolating and managing patients with suspected zoonotic diseases. A good resource is the guidelines published by the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians.
- Consider rabies as a differential diagnosis for cats with neurologic signs.
- Report the suspected case to your state animal health official, state public health veterinarian, or state veterinary diagnostic laboratory. They may direct you to submit samples for testing.
- For antemortem detection of the virus, oropharyngeal swabs and urine, serum, or whole blood are suitable.
- For postmortem diagnosis, brain and lung tissue may be submitted.

Raw diets: A warning

"Unpasteurized milk and raw or undercooked meat—including retail pet diets that contain raw meat—have been linked to severe illness and death from H5N1 in pet cats and captive big cats."

https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/animal-health-and-welfare/animal-health/avian-influenza/avian-influenza-h5n1-cats
#HPAINews #Cats #Caturday #CatSafety #HPAI #AvianInfluenza #BirdFlu #H5N1 #USHealth #CDCCensorship

Here's my little saga with #HealthInsurance....

When I retired from my job back in 2022 I was given the option to keep my current health insurance provided by the Company.

Of course since I was no longer an active employee this basically meant I had never-ending #COBRA.

$980.00 a month for just me. Single. No dependents. That was #Credence #BlueCrossBlueShield of Georgia. And my Company (a large electric utility) was actually self-insured. Credence/ #BCBS just managed the #healthcare #plan.

That didn't last long. So I got an insurance plan from the Healthcare #Exchange.

Turns out Georgia has really really shitty healthcare plans on the exchange.

Ended up going BACK to my Company's health insurance for 2023.

Then I moved to #NewMexico (after stopping off in #SouthDakota for a bit).

Turns out none of the doctors I wanted to see out here accepted #CredenceBCBS.

So I signed up with a local health insurance plan out here in New Mexico. #Presbyterian. I wanted to see Presbyterian doctors so I figured if anything Presbyterian would accept their own insurance.

At least it was cheaper. $750 a month as opposed to $980.

That's what I did for 2024. And I had to pay $750 because I was technically not a New Mexico resident for most of 2024.

But now I am.

And turns out based on my income now (which isn't much) I qualify for some amazing subsidies.

My same Presbyterian insurance for 2025 is going to cost me $127 a month. I could even get it down to $21 a month but that means I have more of a yearly cap for things.

I wish nothing more that we had #SinglePayer healthcare. Something like the #UK's #NHS.

#Republicans have raped and pillaged the poor and the working class in this Country non-stop since 1980, all the while giving the spoils to their fat-cat donors and billionaire buddies.

Republicans are the absolute worst thing about the United States.

#LuigiMangione is a hero. Full stop.

#USpol #UShealthcare #UShealth #USHealthInsurance #FreeLuigiMangione