About 200 snow geese were found dead last week in the Allentown area — likely because of the bird flu.
The dead birds were found in both Nazareth Township in Northampton County and Upper Macungie Township in Lehigh County, the Pennsylvania Game Commission reported.
Preliminary in-state testing revealed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza, also known as bird flu, the commission said. The test results are being confirmed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Signs of infection in wild birds could include neurologic dysfunction such as swimming/walking in circles, holding their heads/necks in unnatural positions, being unable to tilt their heads, and having difficulty flying, according to the commission.
Bird flu outbreak
It’s not uncommon to detect bird flu in wild birds, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as it can circulate freely without birds appearing sick.
But an HPAI outbreak began in January 2022 in the United States, and since then, it’s impacted wild and domestic birds in every state, the commission reported.
“HPAI does not appear to (have) significantly impacted wild bird populations,” the commission said. “However, it does have the potential to significantly affect the commercial poultry industry and international trade.”
Birds affected include wild waterfowl and shorebirds like hawks, eagles, crows, gulls, ravens, ducks, geese, turkey and grouse. The flu is particularly contagious and lethal to domestic poultry, according to the commission.
“Because avian influenza viruses are naturally occurring and ever-present in wild birds, preventing or controlling HPAI in wild populations is not feasible,” the commission said. “However, safeguards can be taken to protect domestic birds or wild birds held in captivity.”
Owners of domestic birds should make sure they don’t come in contact with wild birds to prevent the spread of the disease.
Mitigating sickness
The bird flu outbreak remains ongoing, as sick birds were also observed at the locations where the 200 dead geese were found, the commission said.
Anyone who has been in contact with sick birds and is feeling under the weather should contact their health provider, according to WHTM, a TV station in Harrisburg. The commission said people can also contact the Pennsylvania Department of Health at 877-724-3258.
Humans can become infected with the bird flu, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the current outbreak poses a low risk to the public. There have been 66 confirmed total reported human cases of the bird flu in the United States, with the majority in California, since the national flu surveillance began in February 2024.
As of Friday, the virus was detected in 10,922 wild birds nationwide, the CDC reported. AS of Thursday, 129,795,101 poultry and 915 dairy herds were affected nationwide.
People should not handle wildlife unless they are hunting, trapping or authorized to do so, according to the commission.
“Avoid contacting surfaces that may be contaminated with feces from wild or domestic birds,” the commission said.
For hunters coming in contact with birds, they should wear nitrile gloves, protective eye wear and a mask, as well as wash their clothes and hands following a hunt, the game commission said.
If people encounter sick or dead wild birds, they should not handle them — and instead report them to the the Pennsylvania Game Commission by calling 1-833-742-9453, by emailing pgc-wildlifehealth@pa.gov or by using the online Wildlife Health Survey tool.
Sick or dead domestic birds should be reported to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture at 717-772-2852, according to the commission.