Recovery center for wild birds braces for avian flu

Three quarantine cages sit empty, but prepared to receive occupants on the edges of the Montana Wild Wings Recovery Center on the east side of Kalispell.

Founder and director Beth Watne has been forced to use the cages in the past, but is hoping to see them sit vacant as the recent wave of highly pathogenic avian flu (HPAI) continues to spread throughout both wild bird populations as well as commercial and backyard poultry flocks around the country.

“I have always been conscientious of possible infected birds coming in. I have had a few cases of avian pox over the years, but I have been fortunate enough to not have any of the more communicable diseases come through here,” Watne said. “With the way this disease (avian flu) appears to be spreading, we have to be ready.”

According to Watne, if a bird suspected of being infected arrives at the center, it goes directly to the quarantine cages. Each cage is equipped with a pan full of a disinfecting solution that workers can step into in an effort to keep possible infections from spreading to any of the 22 education birds that call the center home.

While Watne and the center have been successful in keeping past avian illnesses contained, only time will tell if they can keep the current outbreak at bay.

While the center is licensed to care for waterfowl, Wayne says she has suspended caring for them for at least the rest of this year as the outbreak continues, but this is not the first time she has had to deal with similar issues.

“I quit taking in songbirds three years ago because of the bacterial infections that were wiping them out. I hate being forced to do that, but I have to protect the education birds that we keep here,” she said.

NORMALLY FOUND in migratory waterfowl (swans, geese, ducks, etc), avian influenza is rarely harmful to those species but is deadly to domestic chickens and turkeys as well as wild raptor species.

When birds like turkeys or chickens get infected with the disease – often through direct or indirect contact with feces – they start to show symptoms, such as depression, coughing and sneezing and sudden death.

The current outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian flu was first detected in domestic birds in Indiana on Feb. 8 of this year, but had been detected in wild birds in Newfoundland and Labrador in eastern Canada in December 2021. Since first being detected in the eastern United States in January 2022, it has spread to all four bird migration flyways, including the Central and Pacific flyways, which covers parts of Montana. It has now been detected in domestic flocks in 29 states and among wild birds in 33.

According to information from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the first two cases of the strain among wild birds in Montana were detected last week: a snow goose from Canyon Ferry and a Canada goose near Belgrade.

This is the first time since 2015 that HPAI has been detected in Montana, when it was identified in a captive gyrfalcon and then shortly afterward in a backyard poultry flock in Judith Basin County.

In addition, the Department of Agriculture says three cases have been reported in Montana since April 7, involving two small backyard flocks in Toole and Judith Basin Counties and one involving a flock of 22,000 chickens in Cascade County.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the risk to public health from this outbreak is low and that no human illnesses have been associated with this virus in North America (including the last two H5N1 outbreaks in the U.S., in 2014 and 2015). Still, the FWP says Montanans should still take precautions when handling game birds or any sick or dead bird they find. Whenever possible, the public is advised to avoid contact with sick or dead wildlife. Even if a bird is not suspected to have died from a contagious disease, gloves should always be worn if a dead animal must be handled for disposal.

The public is encouraged to report unusual or unexplained cases of sickness and/or death of wild birds by calling their local wildlife biologist or the wildlife lab in Bozeman at 406-577-7880 or 406-577-7882.

Bird hunters and those who maintain bird feeders should follow these simple precautions when processing or handling wild game:

• Do not harvest or handle wild birds that are obviously sick or found dead.
• Wear disposable latex or rubber gloves while cleaning game or cleaning bird feeders.
• Do not eat, drink or smoke while cleaning game.
• People and equipment that have been in contact with wild game birds should avoid contact with backyard poultry flocks.
• Wash hands with soap and water or alcohol wipes immediately after handling game or cleaning bird feeders.
• Wash tools and work surfaces used to clean game birds with soap and water, then disinfect with a 10 percent solution of chlorine bleach — one part chlorine bleach to 10 parts water.
• Separate raw meat, and anything it touches, from cooked or ready-to-eat foods to avoid contamination.
• Cook game meat thoroughly to an internal temperature of at least 165°F.
• Wild birds don’t need supplemental feed this time of year. Taking feeders down prevents concentrations of birds that sometimes lead to disease transmission.