Bird Flu: An Update for Birdwatchers

Photo: Northern Shovelers, Steve Jessmore/Audubon Phtography Awards

Sarah Wilton

Avian influenza has been around for centuries in many strains, but the strain making the news as bird flu is a “highly pathogenic avian influenza” caused by the H5N1 virus. It’s being found in both wild birds and domestic fowl and, less commonly, in mammals, even humans. In the U.S., bird flu is being monitored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). USDA monitors incidence of the disease in domestic birds, operating a national hotline (866-536-7593). With some other agencies USDA also is surveilling incidence in waterfowl. See Implementation Plan for Avian Influenza Surveillance in Waterfowl.

The virus can infect poultry, including chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail, ducks, geese, and guinea fowl in commercial and backyard flocks. Since the current strain of bird flu was identified in 2022, afflicted birds have been identified in 51 states, including cases on Virginia’s eastern shore as recently as January 2025. No cases of infected livestock (including cattle, swine and alpaca) have been reported in Virginia; however, nearby North Carolina had one confirmed case in 2024. Other mammals that are susceptible to infection with bird flu include rodents, racoons and cats. See Detections of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Mammals, which reports 126 cases in domestic cats since May 2022.

After living through the pandemic, people have cause to be concerned and ask questions about risks to humans, particularly for people who come in contact with birds and livestock. To date the CDC, working with state and public health departments, has reported 70 confirmed and probable human bird flu cases and one fatality since 2024, but it rates the risk of transmission to humans as low. It reports no confirmed case in Virginia and only one probable case in the Delmarva Peninsula. See H5 Bird Flu: Current Situation. No person-to-person has been diagnosed; however, influenza viruses mutate constantly, so continued monitoring is essential.

Of course, we also have concerns as birdwatchers and citizens worried about the health of wild bird populations in a world where they face serious challenges from climate change, habitat loss, and other threats. Peak migration in our area begins in April, and detections are higher within the wild bird populations in the fall and spring, because the birds spread the virus as they migrate to and from their breeding grounds. The most common victims of the virus are waterfowl, shorebirds, seabirds and raptors that may feed on carcasses of diseased birds. USDA reports 132 wild bird cases in Virginia since January 2022; six of those cases were recorded since December 2024. Given the time lag between collection and confirmation and the problems associated with wild bird sample collection, the figures are likely an understatement of the actual number of cases. 

So, what do we need to know and do as we head outdoors to observe wildlife and participate in conservation projects, or as we live and participate in other community activities?

• If you find a dead wild bird, either on your property or elsewhere, report it to your state wildlife agency or health department. In Virginia, that is the Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR). DWR particularly asks you to report by phone (855-571-9003) or email (wildlifehealth@dwr.virginia.gov) (i) five or more dead vultures, waterfowl, shorebirds, or seabirds in the same area within five days; (ii) sick or dead eagles, hawks, owls, or turkeys, excluding carcasses found on the road, or (iii) ten or more dead wild birds of any species in the same area within five days.

• If you have backyard chickens, don’t put up feeders for wild birds. Although Cornell Lab's All About Birds reports low risk to songbirds from the bird flu, it has been detected in a number of species, making it prudent to avoid encouraging poultry and wild birds to mix. Cornell recommends not putting up feeders and making sure that poultry food and water are not accessible to wild birds. Its website also includes recommendations for wildlife rehabilitators and people who maintain wild bird nest boxes. Unusual poultry illness or death should be reported in Virginia to the State Veterinarian’s Office (804) 692-0601 or at vastatevet@vdacs.virginia.gov or to USDA’s toll-free number at (866) 536-7593.

• If you dispose of a dead wild bird, make sure you use disposable gloves and disinfect your shoes and clothing afterwards. You can find guidance from the USDA flyer: Found a Dead Wild Bird? Here's What to Do Next.

• What about cats? If you have a cat, by all means keep it indoors. We have advised you to keep your cats indoors for years in order to protect wild birds from predation. Now you have even more reason to keep your cat indoors to protect it from possible bird flu infection. See the American Veterinary Medical Association article, Avian influenza A (H5N1) in cats, for recommendations for preventing infection, along with a list of symptoms and steps to take in the case of suspected infection.

World Shorebirds Day

Photo: American Avocet, Georgy Semenov/Audubon Photography Awards

Deirdre Bryant

World Shorebirds Day, an event sponsored by the Shorebird Conservation Society, was September 6th. Around this time people around the world celebrate the planet’s shorebirds, including by participating in the Global Shorebird Count, an annual event since 2014. This year’s count took place September 1-7, and data collected by volunteers was entered into eBird. The information collected from tens of thousands of volunteers is used to track population abundance and distribution, which are fundamental to the assessment of their status. Trends identified in repeated citizen science projects like this help determine whether a population of a bird species is declining or increasing, or is in need of coordinated conservation efforts. 

But before we talk more about the count, let’s review what a shorebird is. They are sometimes thought of as any bird that visits the coastlines of the sea and large lakes, but the term isn’t quite accurate. The term “shorebird” actually describes a member of the order Charadriiformes, which includes birds such as sandpipers, plovers, snipe, and avocets, among others. While “shorebird” is a colloquial term, it has gained popularity to describe the species in that order. Besides the beach, you can find them in saltwater wetlands, tidal lagoons, brackish impoundments, mudflats, flooded pastures, and even evaporation ponds. But they also can be an upland species. The Killdeer is a good example. It is a very common, large plover that can be found on the beach, but also is commonly found on lawns, golf courses and farms. 

American Avocet, Mary D’Agostino/Audubon Photography Awards

As for what shorebirds look like, they come in many shapes and sizes but many have relatively long legs, a round head, and a long bill used to probe the sand, mud, gravel and water for food. Their diet consists of mollusks, worms, larvae, tadpoles, and small fish. Common threats to shorebirds include climate change (such as from storms affecting nest sites), coastal development, pollution, and egg predation (by rats, foxes, and raccoons). Another unfortunate threat is the unintentional trampling of camouflaged eggs by people or their beach vehicles.

Many individuals in the United States, specifically in Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Jersey on the east coast, and California, Oregon, and Idaho in the west, have submitted checklists on eBird for the Global Shorebird Count; however, there have been only two locations in Virginia surveyed (as of the 2021 count), suggesting that the Global Shorebird Count is not well known here. If you are interested in participating in next year’s count, Chincoteague, Wallops Island and Kiptopeke are terrific spots for observing shorebirds in Virginia. There are also many spots closer to home in Northern Virginia where shorebirds stop off during migration, such as Huntley Meadows Park in Fairfax County. 

Participating in citizen science projects can help conserve birds and other natural resources, but other everyday actions are just as or more important to preserving habitat for future generations of shorebirds. 

• When in a shorebird area, properly dispose of your garbage or take it with you to avoid attracting predators such as gulls, raccoons and rats, which may come for the trash and then move on to prey on shorebirds and their eggs.

• Never release balloons anywhere! Birds can become entangled in the ribbon when the balloon comes back down, and some marine life can ingest the balloons and die. Scroll down on this Clean Virginia Waterways site for information on alternatives to releasing balloons at celebrations.

• Watch where you step. Again, shore-nesting birds lay their camouflaged eggs directly on the sand (or rock or caliche paths or parking lots). Next spring and summer, pay attention to signs to avoid areas where eggs are likely to occur, and never enter roped off areas or areas where large congregations of birds occur. Birds will vocalize loudly or dive-bomb you if you enter a nest area. Killdeer also are famous for feigning injury to steer you away from their nests.

• Finally, if a location is barred because coastal habitat rehabilitation is underway, respect the signs and do not trespass.

If you missed World Shorebirds Day, there is still plenty of time to plan a weekend trip to Virginia’s eastern shore or Cape May to catch some of the migrating birds skittering along the sand before the season is over. If you plan on visiting the beach this fall for World Migratory Bird Day (which is on October 8th this year), you are likely to find American Avocet (shown in the photos in both breeding and non-breeding plumage), Semipalmated Plover, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Willet, Dunlin, Least Sandpiper, Short-billed and Long-billed Dowitcher, Black-bellied Plover, and American Oystercatcher. Make sure you share your findings on eBird!