Two barn owls at the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge in Thurston County have died of avian influenza, the refuge announced Friday.
The owls were found dead in one of the Twin Barns on the refuge and were collected and sent to a lab for testing, which confirmed the owls died of avian influenza.
Avian influenza, often referred to as bird flu, is caused by influenza Type A viruses that naturally circulate in wild aquatic birds but can spread to domestic poultry and other bird species. While human cases are uncommon, they typically occur after close or prolonged contact with infected birds or contaminated environments.
Individuals who have direct contact with sick or deceased birds, or with contaminated materials, may have increased risk and should take basic precautions.
The biologist and assistant who collected the dead owls at the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge wore protective gear while interacting with the owls, and are “safe and well, thanks to their precautions,” the refuge said in a social media post on Friday.
A positive case of bird flu was confirmed in a Lewis County backyard poultry flock earlier this month.
About a month prior, a Grays Harbor County resident died from complications of H595 avian influenza in the world’s first confirmed human bird flu infection.
With confirmed cases of bird flu rising, the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge reminds anyone who finds a dead bird not to touch it.
If the bird is found at the refuge, call 360-753-9467. Off-refuge, report to the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife at https://www.northcascadesaudubon.org/reporting-avian-flu
To learn more about the disease, visit https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestoc.../avian/avian-influenza
