Columbia Falls falcon dies of bird flu

State officials confirmed March 30 that a captive gyrfalcon in Columbia Falls died from the H5N2 strain of “highly pathogenic” avian influenza.

This is Montana’s first documented case of a highly contagious strain of bird flu. The strain has never been transmitted to humans, and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention categorize the strain as posing a minimal risk to people.

But Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks wildlife veterinarian Jennifer Ramsey warned about possible impacts to wild and domestic birds if the disease spreads.

“The biggest economic impacts would be to the poultry industry, but on the wildlife side we could certainly see entire populations of birds that are susceptible to the disease,” she said.

The falcon’s carcass was sent to the FWP laboratory in Bozeman about two weeks ago, said Tahnee Szymanski, an assistant state veterinarian with the Montana Department of Livestock. After preliminary testing, state officials suspected the virus and sent the bird to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa, for confirmation.

No other cases of this strain have been detected in Montana, but nearby states have had outbreaks of the disease along Pacific migratory routes after it originated in British Columbia in December. Washington have been hit by the virus, and more recently it has been documented in Minnesota, where tens of thousands of turkeys have died or been pre-emptively killed off on three infected farms.

Waterfowl generally do not exhibit symptoms or die from the virus but act as carriers and can transmit it to more susceptible bird populations, including raptors, domestic poultry and game birds such as pheasants, quail and sage grouse.

FWP noted in a press release that infected commercial and game birds may still be eaten, but recommended taking extra sanitary precautions when handling birds, such as wearing gloves, sanitizing all surfaces that the birds or meat come in contact with, and ensuring cooked poultry is heated to a minimum of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

For those who raise chickens and other poultry, Szymanski recommended taking extra precautions to limit the spread of pathogens.

“If they live in an area where there is a strong presence of migratory birds, do things that will eliminate contact with them,” she said. “Make sure wild birds don’t have access to the same food you are feeding the birds. Don’t allow them to commingle in open water, limit the birds’ access to that water at this time of year, and if you’re going in and out of an area where you raise birds, wear dedicated footwear.”

State officials are also asking falconers to avoid hunting avian species, especially waterfowl, during an outbreak.

“We’ll be doing outreach and education, and possibly surveys in the immediate area,” Szymanski added. “We’ll be preparing materials to distribute on a statewide basis to any poultry producers, falcon owners and captive bird facilities. If individuals are seeing a sudden onset of illness in their birds or sudden, unexpected mortality, call a local vet or our office.”

Ramsey urged anyone — bird owner or not — to report sightings of sick or dead birds to the state wildlife agency. The FWP Region 1 office can be reached at 752-5501, and the state Livestock Department can be reached at 406-444-2043.

The gyrfalcon is the largest falcon in the world. Gyrfalcons generally are 18 to 25 inches tall and has wingspans of 4 feet, according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. The Columbia Falls gyrfalcon weighed between two and three pounds.