Are you worried about the avian flu and how to protect your companion bird? Me too, and so are a lot of my bird friends! Just when you think we will get back to normal after COVID we get another strike in the gut. This time not for us, but for our birds!
Properly known as avian influenza, it is starting to cause alarm for many bird owners including myself. Many of us have had outbreaks in our state and the more that is reported, the scarier the situation becomes.
In fact, many zoos and parks have already started proper measures of biosecurity and some have even pulled their birds off of display at exhibits for fear of their flocks getting sick.
Current influenza circulating around the US is known as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza predominately the H5N1 strain. It is not only highly contagious but also often fatal.
By the time I publish this article, it will probably already be old, as the virus is spreading so quickly in the United States that it is hard to keep up. However, my plan is to give you facts that you can use now, that shouldn’t change.
The best thing to do with any new situation that causes alarm is to educate yourself. Learn about the virus, how it transmits, and how to protect your bird(s). Knowledge is power, and in this situation, it is no different.
Keep up to date on where there are outbreaks, be extra cautious if there are outbreaks in your area.
There is a ton of information out there about avian influenza and many resources that you can tap into. I have put together this top 5 list to streamline this information to help you and your birds deal with this developing situation.
Much of the information I am relaying came from this amazing video from Dr. Kristin Sinclair, DVM, DAVBP. I highly suggest you watch this in its entirety as there is outstanding information and also excellent questions at the end. Thank you to Dr. Sinclair for putting together this presentation and sharing all this important information with us.
1. Don’t panic! There is no reason to panic at the moment.
There are very limited cases currently out there of companion birds getting infected. While it is possible it is still very unlikely to happen.
The current cases where companion animals died were apparently where waterfowl were present on the property. There is very limited information currently on this case, at the moment.
2. The virus largely affects poultry, waterfowl, and raptors.
The only way for it to transmit from an infected bird to your bird is either through direct contact where the birds are near one another or via indirect contact with a contaminated surface.
Currently, there is no evidence of other wild birds carrying the virus, however, due to a lack of testing, there is no way to know if that is actually true. It is best to assume all birds are contaminated to be 100% safe.
3. Your bird can only be infected via direct contact or via indirect contact through cross-contamination.
The most common forms of transmission is airborne secretions (such as those created by sneezing) and feces. If your bird is in direct contact with an infected bird, it may contract the virus. Making sure your bird isn’t near any poultry or wild birds is a good practice if they are outside.
Cross-contamination can happen from you getting fecal matter or secretions on your body or clothing, including shoes.
Here are some tips on how to prevent cross-contamination, while this isn’t an exhaustive list, you get the idea of how to start thinking to protect your bird(s):
- Since the virus is often transmitted via poop it is wise to take shoes off upon entering your home.
- Don’t bring anything into your home that could’ve touched contaminated soil, this may include gardening tools, bird feeders, or anything that may come in contact with wild birds. Think before you bring it in!
- If you have an outdoor aviary then you need to make sure it is protected from other birds. You want to protect the aviary from the droppings of wild birds as best as you can.
It will be very important in outdoor aviaries to have a good cleaning schedule, as they are more likely to be contaminated by a wild bird’s droppings or by a wild bird hanging or flying to the sides of the aviary.
- Limit visitors to your house if you know they have poultry, especially if there is a current outbreak in your area. These days it is common for homes to have domestic chickens.
- Be aware if your friends or family visit that have chickens that they could transmit the virus. Have them take off their shoes upon arrival into the house and ask them to wash their hands.
- If you allow anyone to handle your bird you should have them wash their hands prior to handling them.
- Consider anyone working in the field that handles birds a source of cross-contamination. This could be a wildlife rehabilitator, someone that works in a poultry farm, bird sanctuary, or rescue.
Anyone who also hikes could be at an increased risk for transmitting the virus accidentally by getting bird feces on their shoes and then walking into your house or aviary.
Hunters, especially waterfowl, are also at an increased risk of accidental transmission.
Also keep in mind that if you visit a park that has geese or ducks, you could get droppings on your shoes and this could enter your home if you aren’t careful.
Where I live there are tons of wild turkeys. While they mainly forage in areas outside of what I would encounter in a day, I need to be mindful that they too can pose a risk. I need to be careful of cross-contamination if I go on my grass or another area they may roam.
Anyone who is at increased risk should take off their shoes prior to entering your home or aviary and immediately wash their hands. Higher biosecurity measures may also involve changing their clothes upon entrance into the household.
You may also want to make sure trees are trimmed that could hang over your roof, deck, patio, sidewalk, etc. Any area where you may step on bird poop.
Other things to consider are walkways where birds may perch on the roof or other areas of your home. We have a robin that just built a nest in our arborvitae that is right next to our stairs. Knowing that this could be a source of contamination, we will need to make sure we take proper precautions when entering our home, as described above, in order to prevent possible cross-contamination.
- If there is an outbreak in your area you may seriously want to consider putting away birdbaths or feeders in your yard.
4. Keep a good cleaning protocol.
Since avian influenza has a lipid layer it is easily killed with simple Dawn dish soap or other dish soap. While other disinfectants can be used, it really isn’t necessary.
Clean the cage, perches, food/water dishes, and toys regularly.
The USDA discusses biosecurity measures such as these: foot baths, changing clothes, washing hands, and not bringing any tools or objects that were used on or near birds to your flock without proper disinfecting.
Here is a good video on biosecurity measures. While this video is specific to chickens, it is easily adapted for your indoor companion birds by following the same procedures.
You may want to contact your avian vet to see what disinfectants they recommend for cleaning, especially one that kills avian influenza.
5. Keep up to date on where there are outbreaks, be extra cautious if there are outbreaks in your area.
The best way to stay up to date on where outbreaks or cases are occurring is to check the USDA website. You can check for updates here:
Click here for confirmed cases in the USA from the USDA website of commercial or backyard flocks.
Click here for confirmed cases in USA from the USDA website of wild birds.
Click here for a Google map showing all four flyways affected with the locations of current cases.
It is important to stay up to date on the cases because if cases are present in your area you may need to increase your cleaning and biosecurity protocols to keep your bird(s) safe.
It’s scary, but it’s manageable.
As I mentioned, knowledge is power. The best thing we can do for ourselves and our birds is to learn how to protect them during this current outbreak.
The best defense we have is being vigilant and staying ahead of the outbreak. As of right now there are more than half of the States with cases so we can’t just ignore it, we need to take precautions and prevention now. Take the precautions you need and educate others. The more other people know about avian influenza the more we can stop the spread.
