The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has received multiple reports of deceased birds in Dutchess County this year, including a cluster of geese at 99 Route 44 in Millerton.
Wildlife health staff retrieved several birds on Jan. 22 and submitted brain tissue samples to the state laboratory for preliminary PCR testing. They returned presumed positive results for highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI, according to a department spokesperson.
Samples have been sent to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories for confirmatory testing, a process that can take several weeks, the spokesperson said.
As of this week, DEC had not received reports of similar bird mortalities in Pine Plains, Ancram, Gallatin, Milan, or Stanford.
HPAI continues to infect wild birds and some mammals across the United States and Canada, including New York. The virus is commonly carried by free-flying waterfowl and other waterbirds such as ducks, geese, and shorebirds, but it can also infect domestic poultry, raptors, corvids, and certain mammals, the spokesperson said.
The DEC Wildlife Health Program is monitoring the spread and impact of HPAI statewide. Because the virus is widespread in wild bird populations, not all reports will result in DEC staff retrieving carcasses for testing or disposal. Field response depends on factors, including the number of sick or dead birds, the species involved, and whether the report comes from an area where the virus has not yet been documented.
The spokesperson advised residents to assume that groups of dead birds may be infected and to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention safety protocols. Members of the public should avoid contact with sick or dead birds and mammals.
If removal of a carcass is necessary and the DEC is not responding, residents should wear disposable gloves, a mask, and eye protection; avoid direct contact by using a shovel; and wash hands and clothing thoroughly afterward with soap and hot water. Carcasses should be triple-bagged and placed in an outdoor trash receptacle.
There is no practical way to contain HPAI in wild bird populations, the spokesperson said. Infected birds may show no symptoms or may exhibit respiratory distress, lethargy, neurologic signs, diarrhea, weakness, or sudden death. Waterfowl, raptors and scavenging birds are at higher risk, but any species, including mammals, may become infected.
Residents can report suspected cases of avian influenza in wild birds through the state’s online reporting form.