SILER CITY — As cold winter months approach, so does flu season, for both Chathamites and their feathery friends. The discovery of several dead buzzards at Boling Lane Park has some suspecting avian flu, a virus affecting birds, especially in rural communities like Siler City.
Bird flu is often transmitted to poultry and wild birds from waterfowl, ducks, swans and other water birds. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 50 million birds have died from avian flu in the United States this year, marking 2022’s outbreak as the deadliest in the county’s history.
“This is the first time for me,” Town Manager Hank Raper said. “We’ve always obviously had conversations about the potential of avian flu, but I’ve never actually dealt with a direct case of it.”
Raper said the town was made aware of potential bird flu outbreaks in Siler City on Nov. 17 from residents calls, and his staff has been in touch with North Carolina Wildlife Resources.
“They told us that we could let nature take its course, or we could find a way to dispose of the buzzards,” Raper said. “I instructed our Parks and Rec director (Jack Clelland) to assign his staff to go collect the buzzards and dispose of them as the state has recommended.”
Raper said he asked officials at N.C. Wildlife Resources if the deceased birds needed to be sent off for testing to determine if they indeed had bird flu. The state said testing isn’t needed when it comes to wild birds.
Despite not knowing for certain if the buzzards died from bird flu, Raper said town staff are treating the situation as if it were confirmed to be.
“We’re taking all the precautions, assuming that it is avian flu, and making sure that our staff is wearing gloves, double bagging and taking proper safety precautions to dispose of them,” Raper said.
Unlike larger municipalities, Siler City doesn’t have its own wildlife department, meaning its resources for handling issues like this are limited. The county does have animal control, but Raper said the best thing to do if residents suspect their birds or wild birds have contracted avian flu is to report it to the state as soon as possible.
“[The state] helps dispel questions or concerns that the public may have because we’re pretty limited,” Raper said. “I’ll also recommend contacting the town directly because we can assist them with getting in contact with the state directly.”
Residents can contact the N.C. Wildlife Resources by calling 1-866-318-2401 if they find wild birds suspected of having avian flu. If residents are worried about their own flocks, they can contact the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services at 919-733-3986.
Reporter Taylor Heeden can be reached at theeden@chathamnr.com and on Twitter at @HeedenTaylor.
FOR BREAKOUT BOX:
Symptoms of avian flu
• Reduced energy, decreased appetite, and/or decreased activity
• Lower egg production and/or soft-shelled or misshapen eggs
• Swelling of the head, eyelids, comb, and wattles
• Purple discoloration of the wattles, comb, and legs
• Difficulty breathing, runny nares (nose), and/or sneezing
• Twisting of the head and neck, stumbling, falling down, tremors, and/or circling
• Greenish diarrhea