A month ago, Lincoln Park Zoo announced that Teal, one of its Chilean Flamingos, as well as Slater, one of its Harbor Seals, had both suddenly died. Teal was a young flamingo who had just hatched in the fall of 2024, while Slater was 7 years old.

Tests on their bodies revealed they were both infected with H5N1, the current strain of the avian flu. It’s speculated that an infected waterfowl had come into close contact with Teal and Slater, resulting in their infection.

Waterfowl are highly susceptible to H5N1, or Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A (HPAI), due to the virus spreading through birds’ saliva, nasal secretions, and feces, all of which can easily get into bodies of water like ponds and lakes. These water sources are frequent hotspots for waterfowl like ducks and geese, who have been the most infected amongs wild birds.

The body of a Red-breasted Merganser, most likely infected with H5N1, being safely removed from the shoreline of Lake Michigan. Photo by Vincent Alban/REUTERS.

However, waterfowl aren’t the only birds, or animals for that matter, that are susceptible. Bird flu has spread to other birds, including raptors like Bald Eagles, and has infected poultry on farms. In fact, millions of poultry birds such as chickens and ducks have died or been killed due to being infected by H5N1. We can blame the widespread nature of avian influenza on farms as one of the reasons for the recent rise in egg prices at our local grocery stores.

Dairy cows and farm workers in close proximity to poultry have also been infected, with one person dying due to complications. Human infections are rare, however, and no human-to-human infection of H5N1 has been reported, with the CDC considering the risk to the public to be low. This is in contrast to the current human influenza season, which has been the most intensive season in 15 years.

Regardless, birds have been dealing with an awful flu season of their own, the results of which have literally reached the Chicago shoreline just a few weeks ago. There are telltale signs that a bird has been infected.

“These birds demonstrate symptoms, neurologic symptoms,” Annette Prince, director of the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors, stated on NBC 5 Chicago back in January. “They've got tremors. They have trouble standing. They have trouble balancing. They often have clouded or closed eyes.” The Chicago Bird Collision Monitors have been responding to reports of infected birds, including the hundreds of Red-breasted Mergansers that were found on the shores of Lake Michigan.

There has been a lot of discussion regarding H5N1 as more infected birds have been reported, especially concern over how rapidly HPAI has spread. As we enter the fifth year since the COVID-19 pandemic began, along with current concerns over the state of the public health system, it’s more than understandable that H5N1 has caused many to ask what happens next.

So far, the response has varied.

The outdoor entrance to the McCormick Bird House, which is currently closed to protect the birds inside from being infected. Photo by Lincoln Park Zoo.

Since the deaths of Teal and Slater, Lincoln Park Zoo has taken necessary precautions to prevent infection of other birds or animals and zoo staff by enacting a multi-tier proactive HPAI Response Plan. The McCormick Bird House is closed for the time being, and some birds have been moved out of open enclosures normally used for public viewing, all for the birds’ protection against the flu. Zoo staff are required to wear N95 masks and protective gear, in addition to cleaning the birds’ water using ozone filtration. This method has also been used for the water in any enclosure to ensure other animals remain healthy as well.

There is another precaution that has been used to contain H5N1, but it’s very extreme and admittedly heartbreaking. Several infected birds were brought to the DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center, but due to the severity of the bird flu and lack of any proper treatment for birds, as well as to prevent it from spreading, all infected birds were euthanized. This practice has also been implemented on a much larger scale on farms with infected poultry to prevent further outbreaks. This has resulted in 166 million euthanized birds, resulting in higher egg prices.

“This disease has [an] almost 100 percent mortality rate in the animals that we are seeing,” Dr. Sarah Reich, head veterinarian of DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center, told NBC Nightly News back in January. “Really, our options are [to] euthanize what we can, because human health is going to be the utmost priority.” Due to the risk of further spreading the bird flu, the DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center is no longer accepting infected birds.

It is incredibly disheartening to know that, as of right now, there seems to be no way to prevent H5N1 from infecting more birds or to reduce severe infections. There is no vaccine for birds that will protect them from H5N1, but it’s something the federal government is looking into in its proposed plan to tackle HPAI. How this plan will be enacted and even if such a plan can work, given how many wild birds would need to be vaccinated along with poultry birds, remains to be seen. For clarification, current flu vaccines provided to the public do not offer protection from avian influenza. However, a vaccine that was specifically designed to tackle the bird flu has been developed, but it is currently being held back due to the low risk of infection amongst people, according to the CDC.

So what can the public, including the birding community, do about the bird flu?

A Canada Goose swimming in water, showing signs of bird flu infection with cloudy eyes and a weak neck. Photo by Clive Shaupmeyer.

Our friends at Audubon Great Lakes recently updated their response to H5N1, specifically regarding songbirds, who have rarely been infected during this time. To ensure that songbirds remain uninfected, it is recommended to follow local, state, and wildlife agency responses. If avian flu is active in your area, remove your feeders to decrease the chances of infection spreading. Cleaning and washing your feeders regularly with soap and/or a 10 percent bleach solution will also curb the chances of infection.

From a safe distance, keep an eye out for how birds in your area are acting. If any are showing symptoms of H5N1, or if you’ve found five or more dead birds in a given area, do not handle the bird yourself. Instead, submit a report to your state or district wildlife conservation agency.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has information regarding how to submit reports. District wildlife biologists can be contacted directly, including Nicky Strahl for Cook and DuPage Counties at nicky.strahl@illinois.gov or 1 (847) 608-3122. You can also report infected birds to Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation or Anderson Humane Wildlife Center, which will accept them on a case-by-case basis.

H5N1 symptoms in birds include:

Swimming or walking in circles
Holding their head or neck at an unnatural angle
Unable to rotate smoothly
Difficulty moving their head
Unable to properly fly
Eyes are cloudy or closed
Unable to balance themselves on their feet
Suffering body tremors

A Domestic Chicken being tested for the bird flu. Photo by Damian Dovarganes/Associated Press.

Additionally, our friends at the Chicago Ornithological Society shared information on what procedures to follow to keep yourself and others safe while birding. Regularly disinfect your shoes, and refrain from wearing or bringing them indoors. Avoid walking in places with bird feces or near ponds and lakes. It is recommended to wear rubber boots or similar footwear when birding for easier disinfection. Remember to use disinfectants as directed by the manufacturers.

For anyone who owns backyard chickens, it is advised to cover their enclosures, line the fencing with hardware cloth to keep out rodents and refrain from allowing your chickens to free roam. This will help prevent them from getting infected as well as from further spreading H5N1. There is no health risk to eating poultry products, including eggs, as long as everything is properly cooked. Because the virus has been found in dairy cows, do not drink unpasteurized (raw) milk or eat raw milk products.

For more resources concerning the spread of H5N1, the Illinois Department of Public Health has additional information, including a fact sheet and safety protocols. We also have these and other resources, including the ones listed above, linked at the bottom of this article.

It’s been devastating to see the effects of avian flu on birds across Chicagoland and beyond, and sadly, there appears to be no end in sight for the time being. However, if we remain aware of H5N1’s widespread nature and take the necessary precautions to protect ourselves and the birds we love, we may be able to find a way to lower the spread of infection.

Sources:

Polka dots on McCormick Place windows are saving thousands of birds - WBEZ Chicago, January 14, 2025

Avian Influenza Cause of Death in Harbor Seal and Chilean Flamingo at Lincoln Park Zoo - Lincoln Park Zoo, January 15, 2025

How bird flu has impacted Illinois residents’ health and egg prices? - NBC Chicago (YouTube), January 16, 2025

The US Has Bird Flu Vaccines. Here’s Why You Can’t Get One - Wired, January 22, 2025

As bird flu expands, concern grows over communications blackout by federal health agencies - NBC News (YouTube), January 24, 2025

Teal the Flamingo (2024-2025) - World Animal Protection US, January 28, 2025

Avoid Sick Or Dead Wildlife Due To Avian Flu Risk: Forest Preserve - Patch, February 4, 2025

Bird Flu Update - Laura Erickson’s For the Birds, February 4, 2025

Hundreds of dead ducks washed up on southern Lake Michigan. Why? Could it happen again? - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, February 5, 2025

More dangerous bird flu variant spreading among US cattle - The Telegraph, February 6, 2025

Chicago flu cases spike, most intense in 15 years. Here’s where to get a free vaccine. - Chicago Sun-Times, February 7, 2025