Avian Flu: What It Is and How to Keep Birds Safe

There has been conversation in our community lately about cases of Avian Flu in bird populations. We wanted to address concerns and provide you with all the information you need to understand avian flu, what it is, and how you can protect our beloved birds. We should also mention that we are not the ultimate experts, but will always do our best to relay current and accurate information. 

Ring-billed Gull. Photo by Kristen Martyn. 

What is Avian Flu?

Avian Influenza Type A (also known as bird flu/ avian flu) is a virus that occurs naturally among wild aquatic birds worldwide (ducks, geese, shorebirds etc.). It is contagious among some species of birds. The H5N2, H5N8 and H5N1 viruses are known to sicken and kill domesticated bird species including chickens, ducks and turkeys.The current 2022 avian influenza in Canada and the US is a form of HPAI H5N1 that is the same as has been found in Europe (also considered the Eurasian H5 avian influenza). 

Avian influenza Type A viruses usually do not infect humans and only rare cases of human infection with these viruses have been reported during past outbreaks in other countries. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Public Health Agency of Canada currently deem H5N1 to be of low human health risk. The first (and currently only) report of a human infection with Asian H5N1 in the Americas was in Canada on January 8, 2014, and occurred in a traveler recently returning from China. H5N1 virus infections in people are rare and these viruses do not spread easily from person to person. Most infections that have been detected have occurred in people with close or prolonged, unprotected contact with infected poultry. 

Feeding Birds

We know this is often the number one concern of our community. Whether it is still safe to feed birds. The short answer is YES. There is no need to stop watching, feeding, or attracting birds to your yard. 

There is no need to stop watching, feeding or attracting birds to your yard because of the avian flu. There is no evidence humans are at risk of contracting avian flu from backyard birds or bird feeding. There is no known risk of becoming infected with avian flu from bird feeders or baths.

David Bonter, Arthur A. Allen Director of Citizen Science with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, shared that it is his “…opinion that there is no scientific basis for removing bird feeders at this time.” A link to the Institute for Infectious and Zoonotic Diseases at U Penn Vet School states, “According to the USDA, there is no evidence that bird feeders, or the birds that frequent them, contribute to the spread of HPAI. For more information, please visit the USDA’s

website.”

In North America, the wild birds most likely to harbour avian flu or spread it are gulls, ducks and other waterfowl. The backyard birds that visit our feeders appear to be significantly less susceptible and much less likely to become a source of the virus. No human avian flu infections have occurred in North America as a result of the current outbreak in wild birds or domestic poultry. 

Recommendations 

We always encourage disinfecting and washing bird feeders as often as possible to help control and reduce spread of other naturally occurring diseases amongst bird populations. Our recommendation is to clean and disinfect as often as possible, monthly ideally. 

If you need some assistance keeping bird feeders clean we are happy to offer this service to our customers. Simply drop off your feeders and bird feeding accessories and we will clean and disinfect them for you (a fee does apply for this service). 

As with any bird or animal (wild or domestic), it is always prudent to take sensible precautions after direct or indirect contact. Be careful around animal droppings and wash hands after contact with soap and water. 

How to Disinfect and Clean Bird Feeders

Use a 10% bleach solution, rinse well, then wash with soap and water. Rinse again. Leave it out to dry thoroughly before refilling with fresh bird food. 

Here is a demonstration of how to properly clean a bird feeder: 

*Please note that as the story of avian flu continues to unfold, new information, data and changes in the viruses are sure to be discovered.

We hope this was helpful, educational, and provides you peace of mind. 

Happy migration! 

Warmly, 

Heather