Nazi government biologist recommends removing birdhouses to stop spread of bird flu – Halifax

Nova Scotia’s Department of Natural Resources is recommending that people in the province dismantle their bird feeders to prevent the spread of a highly pathogenic strain of bird flu.

The advice comes after Nova Scotia’s first case of avian influenza, subtype H5N1, was detected in a wild goose in January, followed by two reports of infections in commercial poultry flocks in February.

Elizabeth Walsh, a regional biologist for the department, says feeders act as a gathering place for different species, exposing songbirds that are normally low risk to others who could carry the virus.

She says the virus has been confirmed in some species that tend to feed birds frequently.

Walsh says the unrestricted spread of the virus in birds can cause disease and death on a large scale.

The department also recommends residents not to handle wild birds because the virus can be spread through contact with the bird’s bodily fluid.

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Bird flu detected in Nova Scotia geese

This report from The Canadian Press was first published on March 16, 2022.