Snow Goose Tests Presumptive Positive for Avian Influenza; Delaware Poultry Producers Encouraged to Take Precautions

Hunters and Anyone Encountering Dead or Sick Wild Birds, Especially Geese and Ducks, Are Advised to Report Location to State Authorities

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) announced today that laboratory testing conducted by the University of Delaware's Allen Laboratory, part of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, has returned presumptive positive findings of H5 avian influenza in a sick snow goose collected by DNREC on Dec. 8 in eastern Kent County.

Avian influenza is a highly contagious airborne respiratory virus carried by wild birds, especially waterfowl, raptors and vultures, and spreads quickly among these birds through nasal and eye secretions and avian manure. People should not touch or handle injured, sick or dead birds. Special attention should be paid to keep pets and children away from wild birds and bird droppings.

The H5N1 virus has infected a small number of people across the United States. While continuing testing of people in close contact with animals infected with HPAI indicates a low risk to the general public's health, backyard flock owners should keep birds in outdoor coops and not bring birds that have been living outside into the home. Children, immunocompromised persons and pets should be kept away from wild birds and bird droppings. The proper handling and cooking of all poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165°F is recommended as a general food safety precaution.

If you see a sick or dead bird on public or private property, report sightings through the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife's sick and injured wildlife reporting form. Notify the Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) if you find dead or sick wild birds on your farm by emailing [email protected].

If a resident finds a dead bird on their property, they should wear proper personal protective equipment (PPE), including gloves, a mask and safety glasses, to dispose of it. Double-bag each dead bird found, zip-tie the bag and put it in the trash bin for pickup and disposal at a Delaware Solid Waste Authority landfill. Carefully remove and dispose of all PPE in the dedicated trash and always wash your hands.

With waterfowl hunting season reopening Dec. 17 for ducks and Dec. 20 for Canada geese, DNREC also reminds hunters to be cautious when afield handling their harvests of duck and geese. If you are a waterfowl hunter or come across a dead or sick bird, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services webpage for additional information on proper protocols for contact with a wild bird that may have contracted HPAI.

Since the initial presumptive positive detection in Kent County, DNREC has also received reports of snow geese with signs of sickness, including uncoordinated movement and an inability to fly, along the Delaware Bay coast. A count of sick or dead birds cannot be given at this time because wild birds often get sick and die where the public cannot see them. Snow geese in particular fly long distances, which means infected geese may die in other locations and transmit the virus to other birds, including poultry.

Snow geese are known to migrate from Arctic and form large flocks in Delaware each winter. Due to close contact with thousands of other snow geese while feeding and roosting, they can get sick and die. It is unknown when or where the presumptive positive H5 snow goose may have acquired the virus, given the birds' migratory nature and association with other waterfowl and waterbirds throughout the Atlantic Flyway through which they travel into Delaware.

Poultry and Livestock Producers

With the first Delaware H5 presumptive positive detection in snow geese, all poultry and livestock owners need to continue increased vigilance in protecting their animals from contracting avian influenza. Follow these steps to help manage wildlife and keep avian influenza off your farm:

• Cover waste. Keep mortality and compost piles covered at all times. The recommendation is one part mortalities to two parts litter, with birds in layers no more than 5 inches deep and not placed next to sidewalls. Cover mortalities daily with litter. Cover the bins with netting or a screen to keep vultures and other wildlife away.
• Remove standing water adjacent to poultry houses and livestock barns. Grade property to avoid pooling water. Fill or grade areas where water stands for more than 48 hours after heavy rainfall. Don't walk or move equipment through or near standing water - this could track wildlife fecal matter or other contaminants with the virus into your barns. Never use untreated surface water for watering birds, cleaning poultry barns or other livestock facilities.
• Manage ponds and basins on farms. Prune or remove plants from banks of artificial water structures. Use wire grids, predator decoys and scare devices to keep waterfowl away. Use fencing to separate natural ponds from the active area around barns.
• Secure buildings. Regularly check and repair damaged screens on windows and doors and holes in barn walls. Install netting or screens and use repellent gel or bird spikes to deter perching. Wash away or remove old nests before each nesting season. It is unlawful to remove nests with eggs or young birds in them.
• Reduce food sources. Don't feed wildlife. Remove spilled or uneaten feed immediately and ensure feed storage units are secure and free of holes. Wild birds can carry HPAI.
• Use decoys. Install decoys and scare devices and move them often so wildlife don't get used to them.

If you have sick poultry or experience increased mortality in your flock:

• Commercial poultry producers should contact the company they grow for when they notice signs of disease.
• Delaware backyard flock owners who notice any signs of HPAI in their flock should email the Delaware Poultry Health Hotline at [email protected] or call 302-698-4507 and provide your contact information, size of flock, location, and concerns.

For more information on avian influenza, visit the de.gov/poultry webpage.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state's natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities, and educates Delawareans about the environment. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X, or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts

DNREC: Michael Globetti, [email protected]

DDA: Michael Lewis, [email protected]