BC SPCA urges people to remove bird feeders as bird flu spreads

The BC SPCA is urging the public to remove their bird feeders as avian flu continues to spread rapidly through wild bird populations.

In addition to well-reported outbreaks in small poultry and commercial flocks, the SPCA says the virus has been confirmed in wild birds in the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island and northern regions of British Columbia.

The virus can be deadly to birds, and the organization warns it endangers birds including great horned owls, bald eagles, great blue herons, ducks and geese, and even the Crows.

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“The number of confirmed positive cases is just the tip of the iceberg,” BC SPCA Director of Wildlife Welfare Andrea Wallace said in a news release.

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“The number of suspected cases – alive or dead – far exceeds the ability to test animals. Additionally, many animals that die in the wild are never recovered. »

The organization is calling on people to remove seed and suet feeders, to discourage birds from congregating and potentially spreading disease.

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Bird feeders, he says, create “unnatural congregations” of birds that can transmit the virus to each other or contract it from the droppings of other birds on the ground under the feeder as they look for fallen seeds.

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He also urges against keeping bird feeders or duck ponds near chicken coops, warning they can help the virus spread between domestic and wild birds.

The virus is resistant and can survive in nature for several months, according to the BC SPCA. Anyone visiting an area where birds congregate or has contact with wild birds should clean and disinfect their shoes and wash their clothes thoroughly, he said.

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British Columbians asked to remove bird feeders due to bird flu outbreak

Birds that are sick with avian influenza may appear lethargic, unusually “bloated”, have runny noses, cough and/or sneeze, diarrhea, or have excessively watery eyes or swelling of the head, neck and eyes, the BC SPCA said.

If you see a bird suspected of being sick, you can call the SPCA at 1-855-622-7722 to find out what to do or how to find a local wildlife rehabilitation center.

Sick or dead wild birds can also be reported to the British Columbia Wild Bird Mortality Investigation Protocol and Avian Influenza Surveillance Program to 1-866-431-IBRD (2473)

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