Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, a highly contagious, fatal, flu-like disease of poultry, has been spreading across the state since February. Cornell Cooperative Extension said in a release that as of April 19, New York has seen the disease in 8 domestic flocks: One commercial, one captive wild birds, and the remainder were backyard flocks. Over 10,000 birds have died or have been euthanized.

These positive cases started in the eastern region of the state but have moved westward over the spring season.

In March, the State Ag Department announced the state would proactively ban all live fowl shows and exhibitions. This meant that fairs, public hatching events, fowl shows, and other events like them would not be allowed until further notice. This ban was expanded April 14 to include all fowl auctions and other events where people can purchase, sell, swap, or trade fowl. The reasoning behind this update was the same as the original notice from March: to limit the congregation of poultry from different farms and homesteads to reduce the spread of disease. At this time, the ban does not include individual farms selling poultry, farm supply stores, chicks being shipped into the state from hatcheries, poultry processors that operate under a 5A or USDA Exemption, or live bird markets.

While both bans are in place until further notice, the situation will be re-evaluated at the end of May.
In the meantime, it’s important that poultry owners remain on high alert for any unusual illness or deaths in their poultry flocks.

Any suspicious illness can be reported to the NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets by calling 518-457-3502 or contacting the Cornell Cooperative Extension Office in Chautauqua County at 716-664-9502.

Cornell Cooperative Extension said highly pathogenic avian influenza is a serious, fatal disease of poultry that, since the beginning of the year, has been identified in over 350 wild birds in 20 states, including New York.

New York has also had 3 cases of Avian flu to date in backyard poultry flocks, which resulted in the death of 268 birds.

Cornell Cooperative Extension said one way the public an help protect domestic poultry flocks is to take down wild bird feeders. While the disease is mostly carried by wild waterfowl, research has shown that other wild bird populations can carry it too, especially if they share nesting and feeding grounds with wild waterfowl. These populations include perching birds and songbirds.

CCE is uncertain as to when it will be safe to put feeders back out, but scientists believe that case loads should decrease over the summer months. They said the highest risk of spreading the disease is now, during the spring migration. That said, this is a disease of the colder months, and cases may spike again during the fall migration.

This disease can cause unusual deaths and illness in both wild and domestic birds. Concerns about dead or sick wild birds can be directed to the Region 9 Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) office at (716) 851-7010.