Stop Using NJ Bird Feeders, Baths Due To Avian Flu, Some Experts Say

NEW JERSEY - New Jersey residents who have bird feeders or bird baths at their homes are being asked to remove them due to the spread of the H5N1 avian flu (HPAI) that has affected nationwide wild bird populations.

“In areas with HPAI transmission in any avian species, consider pausing the use of bird feeders and baths for the next couple of months until the rate of virus transmission in wild birds dramatically decreases,” said Dr. Victoria Hall of the Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota.

“Not only will this action help to protect those beautiful feathered creatures that visit your yard, but will also help all wild bird species that are already having it hard this spring because of HPAI.”

The message to birdwatching enthusiasts comes amid a reported 33.4 million poultry affected per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as another 899 cases among wild birds in the U.S. (including at least 21 cases in wild ducks - a known carrier of the disease - in Cape May County detected in February).

According to a map provided by the National Wildlife Health Center, no commercial or backyard flock in New Jersey has been flagged as infected yet.

The risk that the flu poses to humans is low, experts say. No cases have been reported in people, either. Rare cases of human infection have ranged in severity from no symptoms or mild illness to severe disease that resulted in death, according to the CDC.

"We know it's in our populations," Dr. Nicole Lewis, a pathologist for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Fish & Wildlife previously told Patch, noting that a sampling of 21 positive cases in a single state is "definitely abnormal." New Jersey typically sees one or zero positive bird flu cases a year, she said.

Lewis added that the Eurasian strain of the bird flu seen in New Jersey wildlife earlier this year is a particularly contagious one, although the ducks tested in Cape May appeared to be asymptomatic.

A spokesperson from the DEP clarified to Patch that the agency is not recommending the removal of bird feeders as songbirds are not generally affected by avian influenza.

"Because songbirds are not typically affected by avian influenza NJ DEP Fish and Wildlife are not currently recommending that residents take down their bird feeders and bird baths," Lewis said. "We are closely monitoring the situation as it evolves and ask residents to monitor our website for updates."

“The 2022 outbreak is unique because of the very high levels of transmission of the currently circulating H5N1 virus strain in wildlife,” Hall said. “As minimal viral surveillance is being done with songbirds, it is hard to measure the risk of transmission from songbirds to other birds.”

Hall added that all bird species are susceptible to HPAI, which could result in fatal neurological illness. In regard to infected birds treated at the Raptor Center, “humane euthanasia is the only tool we have left to help them,” Hall said. “We also know that this strain and outbreak is causing severe illness in other species like geese, ducks, blue jays and crows.”

The bird flu outbreak, first reported in a commercial turkey flock in Indiana and the worst since 2015, is further driving up prices for eggs and chickens, which are already high due to inflation.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the cost of boneless, skinless chicken breasts increased to about $5.11 a pound, compared with $3.41 a pound the same time last year. In New Jersey, boneless chicken breasts are $3.94 on average, with some store brands costing consumers over $4.

Egg prices are increasing as well. Nationally, they cost about $2.88 a dozen, up 52 percent since the first confirmed case of the bird flu in February, according to the USDA.

All New Jersey poultry owners, whether commercial producers or backyard enthusiasts, must report sick or unexplained bird deaths to State/Federal officials immediately. Sick or dead poultry can be reported to the USDA APHIS Veterinary Services NJ Area Office at 609-259-5260 or toll-free at 1-866-536-7593.

Among the 34 states with bird flu outbreaks are Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire and New York.