ANN ARBOR, Mich. (WXYZ) — As the bird flu continues to spread across the U.S., the Michigan Department of Natural Resources says it is widespread among wild birds in the state, with more than 300 dead wild birds found in five counties suspected of being killed by the virus.
Nearly 100 of those cases happened in Washtenaw County, many of them at a public Ann Arbor park.
Mary Beth Doyle Park has lots of wildlife and paved trails that nearby residents walk often.
Joseph Igleski and Solaire Finkenstaevt-Quinn were walking in the park last month when they saw something odd.
“We were on the bridge over there and we noticed three? It was three or four dead geese that had floated down there,” they said.
Geese are commonly seen throughout the park, but not multiple dead geese all in one spot.
“I think we thought maybe they'd all eaten something that was bad and that’s what caused it," Finkenstaevt-Quinn said. "So a little concern, but more of like oh, it's probably an anomaly.”
But according to the DNR, it’s not an anomaly. Roughly 100 dead birds have been found in this area suspected to have died from highly pathogenic avian flu.
“More than fairly confident that this is what we're dealing with: high path avian influenza,” DNR Wildlife Pathologist Julie Melotti said. "Based on those test results, the clinical signs and then what we’re seeing, what we've seen in the past and what other states are seeing.”
Melotti says preliminary testing done at Michigan State University points to bird flu, but the national lab in Iowa, which currently has a backlog, has to official confirm the cases.
Across five counties in lower Michigan, they suspect more than 300 dead birds have been killed by the illness.
“Right now, there's many frozen bodies of water. You've got these geese and ducks that are grouping up in the winter, so you have a large amount of birds in a small space," Melotti explained. "Bring in a few sick birds and they can spread something like this.”
Previous coverage: Ask Dr. Nandi: What you need to know about the new bird flu strain found in the United States
Melotti says the illness is widespread in wild birds in Michigan, mostly in waterfowl. However, it’s also been found in bald eagles, hawks and owls.
“We kind of had assumed since 2022, this virus never left. It's been here at low levels," Melotti said. "We kind of assumed a resurgence like this, and that’s what we’re seeing.”
“It took us about a week to realize it was probably bird flu, but that didn't click at all when we saw it," Igleski said. "We just thought it was odd.”
Watch our previous coverage when bird flu was confirmed in animals at a Waterford Public Park:
While risk to humans is low and the DNR doesn’t expect a major impact on bird populations, large die-offs are still concerning, especially for those who see it firsthand.
“Just maybe thinking about the greater ecological implications and what that might mean,” Finkenstaevt-Quinn said.
If you come across a dead wild bird, do not touch it. If you find a die-off of six or more birds, be sure to report it to the DNR online.
The DNR also advises cleaning backyard wild bird feeders every two weeks with a 10% bleach to water solution to avoid transmission of HPAI and other diseases more commonly spread at bird feeders.
