Idaho Fish and Game is aware of many recent wild bird deaths due to avian flu. Personnel cannot respond to all cases of infected wild birds, but Fish and Game says staff are actively working to pick up deceased birds.
“We are aware that sick and dead wild geese are currently being reported by the public in the Lake Lowell, Parma, and Fort Boise areas of the Treasure Valley, and we estimate the number of dead birds to be in the thousands,” said Fish and Game’s Wildlife Health Program Coordinator Stacey Dauwalter. “Fish and Game staff are working hard to remove the dead birds, as that is the best option we have to reduce impacts of avian influenza.”
Mortality events like this are currently widespread, according to Fish and Game, with avian influenza mostly impacting waterfowl such as ducks and geese.
Any birds showing signs of illness should be left alone — there is no treatment or vaccine for avian flu and moving sick birds may spread the illness further.
Fish and Game says dead birds can be disposed of in the trash to ensure other animals are infected by them.
