KVRR Connections: Health – Best Practices Against Bird Flu with NDSU Scientists

FARGO — We’ve been watching the spread of bird flu across the country.

And so have the scientists at NDSU, who say it’s already in Cass County, N.D.

Anuj Ghimire is an ornithologist at NDSU.

He says so far experts aren’t recommending you pull bird feeders and birdbaths out of your yard.

However, you should disinfect them regularly, though, and wear gloves and a mask when you do.

So far, he says, studies indicate songbirds are not highly likely to be affected.

Waterfowl are much more often falling victim to avian influenza, making up the vast majority of wild cases.

However, it is possible that size bias in observers may be skewing the findings, since they’re tiny, making their bodies much easier to overlook than a dead goose or duck.

Ghimire also says raptors like the region’s eagles, owls and other large predator birds are at high risk, possibly because they prey on waterfowl, and are in high contact with them.

Ghimire joined the Morning Show for a live interview about best practices to protect your pet birds and your backyard flocks as the virus continues its spread.

https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/academics/faculty-and-staff

https://greatplains.audubon.org/