How bird migration affects the spread of avian flu
Syracuse, NY
8/16/25
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — In February 2025, a large number of cases of avian influenza were reported, prompting people to be informed about different precautions they needed to take. Presently, it is still a situation that keeps eyes open for any updates.
Even so, birds are not the only kinds of species experiencing this disease. Fall migration started for some bird species in August New York.
Jacob Reiter, Conservation Center Manager for Pace University’s Suburban Biodiversity Conservation Center Wildlife scientist and conservationist with a license in the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and a wildlife rehabilitator, informs how migration is going to look for different bird species this fall.
Reiter starts by explaining that some bird species are still migrating well into November. During migration, each bird species migrates depending on their needs. They are split into two categories. Some birds migrate depending on when the day length gets shorter. Other kinds of birds migrate in response to climate change.
Through those two categories, something that weighs in migration time for different bird species also deals with resource availability.
If they are in their spring and summer areas with lots of food, they will migrate later, but if there is overcrowding with other birds or fewer resources, they will begin migrating earlier.
Birds that are starting to migrate in mid-August are warblers, different types of ducks, and geese like the blue-winged teal.
A lot of these species breed in high latitudes.
If they start migrating now, they are probably in New York now.
Reiter says that different bird species will be making their way down the East Coast.
Some might go into Georgia, others go over the Gulf of Mexico into Mexico, Central America, and South America, heading into October.
Birds that are in the Atlantic flyway are in the New York State area right about now, while birds in the Pacific flyway might be in Oregon or parts of California.
Migration at its beginning this fall brings questions if there may be a rise in bird flu between different bird species.
Reiter says, “I think that it is more than likely probable to see that happening, especially given the rise in the highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza that we are seeing right now.”
Species of birds like waterfowl might carry a low pathogenic flu strain with them at all times, but with a recent highly pathogenic strain (H5N1) of avian influenza that has been seen in the last few years, there is the possibility of more avian influenza cases.
During migration, it is more prevalent for birds to get contaminated with avian influenza due to different bird species being together and travelling greater distances.
The good news is that the migration that takes place in the fall has less of an infection risk between birds than in the spring.
Reiter believes that migration during the spring seems to be when birds are at their highest risk of getting an avian flu infection.
The reason this may be the case is that migration in the fall involves birds spreading out, while during the spring, they are all coming together as they fly north.
For example, birds like warblers, songbirds, and raptors are not gathering in large areas during migration in the fall like they do in the spring. Reiter adds that there is an exception for waterfowl species that tend to largely gather in areas over the fall and winter because that is when they are mating.
While avian influenza is not highly transmissible from birds to humans, it is still possible. The reason for the increase in human cases seen for the past few years deals with how hard poultry has been hit with avian influenza. Multiple chickens and turkeys in American and global poultry farms have been infected with it. In those spaces when one bird gets it, it is very easy to transmit it to other birds.
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https://www.localsyr.com/news/local-news/how-bird-migration-affects-the-spread-of-avian-flu/
