Dead Wild Birds Found At Somerset County Parks

SOMERSET COUNTY, NJ — Dead wild birds were found at Somerset County parks, and other communities in the state, prompting a warning to go out to the community.

The Somerset County Park Commission reported on Monday that dead wild birds were found at the Environmental Education Center off Lord Stirling Road in Basking Ridge and Duke Island Park off Old York Road in Bridgewater.

Officials did not say how many or what specific bird was impacted.

"We are monitoring the situation in coordination with our State and Federal partners," stated the park commission.

The commission warned the public not to handle, touch, or try to help sick or dead birds.

"Please keep pets leashed and away from areas where deceased or sick birds have been observed. For your safety, visitors should not walk on any ice or frozen bodies of water at Park Commission properties," said the commission.

A request for more information on the dead birds was not immediately returned to Patch by the Somerset County Parks Commission or the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

The Parks Commission added that there have been recent reports of dead wild birds also seen in the state and county.

Two South Jersey parks have also been closed after several dead geese were found around their shared lake, officials said Tuesday.

The dead geese appeared on and around Alcyon Lake in Pitman. Officials did not say how many.
Betty Park and Alcyon Park in Pitman are closed until further notice as officials begin to determine the cause, the borough announced.

Monmouth County officials are also working with NJ wildlife biologists after dead and infirm Canadian Geese were found in some county parks on Tuesday.

Last year, six dead Canadian geese were found on a pond in Hillsborough.

The discovery comes as the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1) continues to impact wild and domestic birds across the United States. It is unclear if the bird deaths in Somerset County are related to H5N1 or "bird flu."

H5N1 has killed two people in the U.S. since 2024, according to the CDC. The virus has caused outbreaks in poultry and U.S. dairy cows, but the current risk to humans is low, the federal agency says.

A resurgence of bird deaths attributable to avian influenza has been observed in various parts of New Jersey since November. Officials believe it's impacting wild birds in all counties, including but not limited to waterfowl, raptors, and scavenger birds.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Fish & Wildlife has launched a new Wild Bird Disease Reporting Form to monitor highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) in wild birds. Anyone who sees sick or dead birds, particularly groups of five or more dead birds are asked to report them.

The map above shows Somerset County in red, indicating "Confirmed Detection - Post 8/1/2025." Orange indicates "Preliminary Detection - Post 8/1/2025," and yellow indicates "Confirmed Detection - Prior to 8/1/2025."

The NJDEP Fish & Wildlife reports that in 2025, confirmed detections of avian influenza in wild animals have occurred in all counties except Hudson and Union.

The bird flu is a respiratory disease of birds caused by influenza A viruses. Wild birds, such as ducks, gulls, and shorebirds, can carry and spread these viruses but may show no signs of illness. However, avian influenza can kill domestic poultry (such as chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese), according to the NJDEP.

— With reporting by June Bakan

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