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It is likely that the avian flu has killed hundreds of double-crested cormorants near Barrington at Baker’s Lake where the birds were nesting.
This is the largest outbreak of the disease in Cook County Chris Anchor, wildlife biologist, has seen. “I’ve never seen anything like this since I started working here 41 years ago. Chances are this is happening in other places, and we’re not aware of it because no one is looking,” Anchor stated.
The avian flu impacts wild birds in backyards and commercial bird populations. Anchor believes it is likely the same strain that is plaguing the country.
Since February, 23 million birds have contracted and died from the disease. Most of them have died outside of the state of Illinois, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. Twenty-four states have been struck with the avian flu and Iowa was hit the hardest.
The meat is safe to eat if it is properly cooked. The price of eggs and poultry is soaring across the nation from this disease. According to state and federal officials, this is the worst outbreak of the avian flu since 2015 when 50 million birds died or were euthanized due to the avian flu.
Illinois closed the Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge and Emiquon Preserve from March 16-25 after migratory geese contracted the illness. The USDA reported their findings of the disease in Will, Champaign, and other counties.
The Baker’s Lake outbreak is the first large die-off of the avian flu this year in Illinois, according to Anchor. When he went into the lake to collect seven dead birds, he found hundreds in the lake.
The Centers for Disease and Prevention reported that avian flu is not generally contracted by humans, however, there have been some rare cases. They warn against touching sick or dead wildlife.
As a precaution, Lincoln Park Zoo and Brookfield Zoo have brought their birds to an inside exhibit. Wild raptors, shorebirds, geese, ducks, and other aquatic birds such as cormorants, as well as domestic chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese, are susceptible to the avian flu. Anchor stated there are multiple strains of the disease and not all are as deadly.
Senior ornithologist with the Illinois Natural History Survey, Michael P. Ward, said this strain is deadly. “If a bird gets it, it dies.”
Cormorants are colonial nesters. They breed close together, therefore, the disease spreads quickly among these birds.
Ward said, “There’s always avian flu going around, but this highly pathogenic version of it doesn’t show up often. It’s usually found with waterfowl in tight areas and can cause a mass mortality event.”
“It often burns itself out quickly,” Ward said, adding he hopes that is what will happen with the birds at Baker’s Lake.
Birds are still migrating so officials are watching carefully for the avian flu to spread to different areas.
Ward asserted that even though humans contracting the avian flu is rare since it is likely COVID came from wildlife, there is a concern.
“Avian flu spreads through direct, bird-to-bird contact. It can also spread to birds via contaminated surfaces and materials, including people’s clothing, shoes or hands,” according to the USDA.
Written by Jeanette Vietti
Sources:
Chicago Tribune: Hundreds of birds found dead, likely from avian flu, at Baker’s Lake near Barrington: ‘I’ve never seen anything like this.’; by SHERYL DEVORE
Patch.com: 200 Birds Found Dead Near Barrington Amid Avian Flu Outbreak
WGNTV: Hundreds of birds dead, dying from Avian Flu in Barrington; by Chip Brewster
Featured Image Courtesy of Tony Armstrong-Sly’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inline Image Courtesy of Sheila’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
