According to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, avian influenza, or bird flu, is steadily rising amongst the local waterfowl population.
Since December 2024, nearly 100 confirmed cases of bird flu have been found in the county, which include Canadian geese, swans, and ducks.
Julie Melotti is the Wildlife Pathologist at the Michigan DNR. She says this is because waterfowl have been migrating less far south during the winter and tend to congregate in higher numbers around unfrozen water, leading to certain places in Ann Arbor to become vectors for spreading the virus.
“We’re getting a lot of reports out of Ann Arbor, it sounds like, in Washtenaw County. Mostly, I believe, it’s Mary Doyle Park and Superior Dam.”
Melotti says she advises against taking pets to places populated by waterfowl for the time being. She adds residents should inform the DNR if they encounter any dead birds in the local area.
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