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Delaware: Avian Flu in wild birds 2024-2026

Shiloh

Shiloh

Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: https://news.delaware.gov/2024/12/2...ex-coast-may-have-contracted-avian-influenza/


DNREC Cautions That Stricken Snow Geese Found Along Sussex Coast May Have Contracted Avian Influenza
Department of Agriculture | Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control | Division of Fish and Wildlife |
Date Posted: Friday, December 27, 2024

Wild Birds Collected in State Sent to Be Tested for Highly Pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza

A number of snow geese found sick or dead Dec. 27 in coastal waters of Sussex County have been sent to the University of Delaware Poultry Health System laboratory to determine if they fell victim to the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza (HPAI), the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today, in conjunction with the Delaware Department of Agriculture.

Detections of HPAI in the snow geese stricken in Sussex County – including geese found today at Prime Hook Beach – would mark the Delmarva region’s first confirmation of HPAI in wild birds since May 2022, when the H5N1 virus was found through wildlife surveillance in black vultures in Harford County, Md. HPAI is known to be carried widely in North America by wild birds, especially waterfowl, raptors, and vultures.

Waterfowl hunters and anyone coming across a dead or sick wild bird of any kind should take precaution – for more information on proper protocols upon coming in contact with a wild bird that may have contracted HPAI, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services websiteOpen this document with ReadSpeaker docReader. DNREC also reminds hunters to be cautious when afield handling their harvests of duck and geese as the waterfowl season continues in Delaware.

Delaware poultry growers are advised to continue following biosecurity protocols for HPAI. Commercial poultry producers should contact the company they grow for if they notice signs of the disease, while backyard flock owners seeing any indication of HPAI in their flock should contact the Delaware Poultry Health Hotline at poultry.health@delaware.gov, or call 302-698-4507 and provide the grower’s contact information, size of flock, location, and concerns.

For more information on avian influenza, visit https://de.gov/poultry.​

​
 
December 29, 2024
UPDATE: Sussex County Snow Geese Tests Presumptive Positive for Bird Flu

Excerpt:

Backyard flock owners noticing signs of bird flu should contact the Delaware Poultry Health Hotline at 302-698-4507
On Saturday, December 28th, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and the Delaware Department of Agriculture announced that laboratory testing has returned "presumptive positive findings of H5 avian influenza in sick and dead snow geese collected on December 27, 2024, in coastal Sussex County."

DNREC says it is still unknown when or where the snow geese may have acquired the virus. State officials say since the inital presumptive positive detection this week in Sussex County, more than 40 birds have been reported to DNREC.

...https://www.wboc.com/news/update-su...cle_d0bb476e-c4c1-11ef-abee-936242eef208.html
​
 
Media
Early results show migratory birds found in Sussex County test positive for bird flu

​Updated at 5:07 EST December 29, 2024:

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, along with the Delaware Department of Agriculture, reported that more than 40 sick or dead snow geese have been found since Dec. 27, including at Prime Hook Beach.

The birds were sent to the University of Delaware Poultry Health System laboratory. Initial testing performed at the school's Allen Laboratory confirmed the presence of H5 avian influenza.

According to state officials, these cases mark the first detections of HPAI in wild birds in the Delmarva region since May 2022, when the virus was detected in black vultures in Harford County, Maryland.

According to state officials, these cases mark the first detections of HPAI in wild birds in the Delmarva region since May 2022, when the virus was detected in black vultures in Harford County, Maryland.​

continued: https://www.delawareonline.com/stor...awares-poultry-industry-on-alert/77297082007/
​
 
Delaware steps up efforts to collect sick and dead birds amid bird flu outbreak
1/23/25

Delaware agencies are increasing efforts to collect sick and dead birds amid the bird flu outbreak.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control will collaborate with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to collect and track affected snow geese and other wild birds, a Wednesday news release said. The expanded effort is funded by DNREC and the Department of Agriculture.
-snip-
​Also since Dec. 28, the public has reported 1,835 sick or dead wild birds, Hofmann said. The majority were dead and all are presumed to be affected by bird flu.

Sick and dead birds and other wild animals in Delaware should be reported through the DNREC website, but reporting them doesn't guarantee they'll be retrieved, according to the release.

The public should wear personal protective equipment, including gloves, a mask and safety glasses, to dispose of dead animals, the release said. Dead animals should be double-bagged and the bag should be zip-tied before being placed in a garbage can. Afterward, personal protective equipment should be removed and disposed of carefully and followed by handwashing.

...https://www.delawareonline.com/stor...aware-collecting-sick-dead-birds/77885258007/
​
 
Detections of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Wild Birds

Last Modified: June 11, 2025
...
State County Collection Date Date Detected HPAI Strain Bird Species WOAH Classification
DelawareSussex12/27/20246/3/2025EA H5Snow gooseWild bird
DelawareSussex12/27/20246/3/2025EA H5Snow gooseWild bird
DelawareSussex12/27/20246/3/2025EA H5Snow gooseWild bird
DelawareKent1/15/20251/30/2025EA H5N1MallardWild bird
DelawareKent12/19/20241/27/2025EA/AM H5N1Northern shovelerWild bird
DelawareKent12/19/20241/27/2025EA H5N1Green-winged tealWild bird
DelawareKent12/15/20241/27/2025EA H5N1Green-winged tealWild bird
DelawareKent12/15/20241/27/2025EA H5N1Green-winged tealWild bird
DelawareKent12/15/20241/27/2025EA H5Green-winged tealWild bird
​
DelawareKent12/17/20241/27/2025EA H5N1Green-winged tealWild bird
DelawareKent12/17/20241/27/2025EA H5N1Green-winged tealWild bird
DelawareKentUnknown11/27/2024EA H5N1Bald eagleCaptive wild bird
DelawareKent1/29/20243/4/2024EA H5N1Northern shovelerWild bird
...

​https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestoc...an/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/wild-birds
​
 
With Waterfowl Seasons Reopening After Recent Virus Detection, DNREC Urges Safe Handling of Harvested Wild Birds


Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control | Division of Fish and Wildlife | Newsroom | Date Posted: Tuesday, December 16, 2025

Listen
Snowgeese-in-Delaware.jpg


The annual snow goose migration brings tens of thousands of birds spread throughout Delaware’s landscape. /Delaware DNREC photo

Hunters and Wildlife Watchers Encountering Dead or Sick Wild Birds,
Especially Snow Geese, are Advised to Report Location to DNREC

With the reopening this week of Delaware’s waterfowl hunting season, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control reminds hunters that safe handling of wild birds is imperative following the recent detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a sick snow goose found Dec. 8 in eastern Kent County. After returning presumptive positive for H5 avian influenza from the University of Delaware’s Allen Laboratory, the goose was sent for further testing at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory, returning a result of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza on Dec. 15.

The third and final segment of duck season opens Wednesday, Dec. 17, followed three days later by the migratory Canada goose season – and hunters are asked not only to handle waterfowl safely after harvesting them, but to fill out DNREC’s sick and injured wildlife reporting form for any affected waterfowl or other wild birds they might come across while hunting. This would include sightings of any wild birds showing uncoordinated movement and an inability to fly, which indicates they are likely in the throes of HPAI.

Avian influenza is a highly contagious airborne respiratory virus that spreads quickly among birds through nasal and eye secretions and manure. Due to close contact with thousands of other snow geese while feeding and roosting, they can get sick and die. Snow geese, which are waterfowl, migrate from the Arctic and form large flocks in Delaware each winter. It is unknown when or where these geese may have acquired the virus given their highly migratory nature and their association with other waterfowl and waterbirds throughout the Atlantic Flyway through which they travel into Delaware and more southern states.

Precautions for Waterfowl Hunters

Delaware waterfowl hunters can reduce the risk of exposing poultry or pet birds to avian influenza by taking basic safety precautions to keep the disease from spreading.
  • Dress game birds in the field whenever possible. If you must dress game birds at home, do so in areas inaccessible to poultry and pet birds. Ideally, there should be a solid barrier between the areas where game is cleaned and where domestic birds are housed.
  • Keep a separate pair of shoes to wear only in your game-cleaning area. If this is not possible, wear rubber boots or shoes and clean and disinfect them before entering or leaving the area.
  • Use dedicated utensils for cleaning game, whether in the field or at home. Do not use these tools around poultry or domestic fowl.
  • Always wear rubber gloves when cleaning game.
  • Double bag the carcass remains and feathers. Tie the inner bag and be sure to take off your disposable rubber gloves and leave them in the outer bag before tying it closed.
  • Place the bag in a trash can that poultry, domestic fowl, children, pets, and other wildlife cannot access.
  • Wash hands with soap and water immediately after handling game.
  • Scrub all tools and work surfaces with soap and water.
DNREC and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Wildlife Services will collaborate as needed to collect sick and deceased snow geese and other wild birds should HPAI spread throughout the state as it did in late 2024 through the earliest months of this year. The expanded statewide collection effort to help track HPAI is funded through DNREC and the Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA).

Reporting deceased or ill wildlife does not guarantee that DNREC or APHIS Wildlife Services will respond to every report, only that a DNREC or APHIS Wildlife Services representative will assess the report, and if additional information is needed, may make follow-up contact.

The public should not pick up or handle any sick birds. Dead birds should not be picked up by the public unless disposable plastic gloves are worn to handle them – this guidance also applies to waterfowl hunters, who are advised to follow more focused protocols found on the APHIS websiteOpen this document with ReadSpeaker docReader - Open this document with ReadSpeaker docReader for handling and field dressing any ducks or geese they harvested in Delaware.

If a Delaware resident finds a dead wild bird on their property and wants to remove it themselves, 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. Residents are also advised to carefully remove and dispose of all PPE in the dedicated trash bags and always wash their hands afterward.

While the H5N1 virus has infected a small number of people across the United States, there is no documented transmission of the virus between people in this country. Although continued testing of people in close contact with animals infected with HPAI indicates a low risk to the general public’s health, children and pets should be kept away from wild birds and bird droppings.

If anyone in contact with wild birds or poultry begins to experience flu-like symptoms, they should contact the Delaware Division of Public Health Office of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at 888-295-5156 (after hours) or 302-744-4990 (business hours) for a referral to a DPH clinic to obtain a flu swab test. Flu-like symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, congestion, body aches, fatigue, and sometimes diarrhea. If symptoms seem severe, including trouble breathing, chest pain or pressure, dizziness/confusion, severe muscle pain, seizure, severe weakness or unsteadiness, worsening of chronic medical conditions, or fever or cough that begin to improve and then worsen or return, please dial 911 or visit the emergency department. Let hospital staff and providers know if you have been exposed to poultry or wild birds.

For more information about avian influenza impacting wildlife, visit the DNREC website. For more information on HPAI and the State’s poultry industry, visit de.gov/poultry.

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. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on more than 68,000 acres of public land. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X, or LinkedIn.


Media contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

###
​https://news.delaware.gov/2025/12/1...tion-dnrec-urges-safe-handling-of-wild-birds/
 
Detections of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Wild Birds

Last Modified: January 13, 2026
...
State County Collection Date Date Detected HPAI Strain Bird Species WOAH Classification Sampling Method​
DelawareKent12/18/20251/6/2026EA H5GadwallWild birdHunter harvest
DelawareKent12/18/20251/6/2026EA H5American black duckWild birdHunter harvest
DelawareKent12/17/20251/6/2026EA H5Northern shovelerWild birdHunter harvest
​
...

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestoc...an/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/wild-birds
​
 
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