Iconic Sandhill cranes face mass die-off in bird flu outbreak
Source: usatoday
Trevor Hughes Dinah Voyles Pulver
More than 1,500 iconic sandhill cranes have been killed by bird flu in Indiana, officials say, the latest development in the ongoing spread of the highly infectious respiratory illness.
Volunteers in masks and gloves have been collecting the 15-pound birds from shorelines, marshes and ponds, hoping to reduce the risk to pets and children. Data analyzed by USA TODAY indicates this may be the single-largest bird die-off caused by avian flu in at least three years.
"I've never seen anything like this. One or two dead birds, yes, but not hundreds. I literally saw 45 of them die in front of my house, out of the window," said Sean Leone, 48, who lives on Upper Fish Lake in Laporte County, Indiana, about 20 miles west of South Bend. "It's sad to watch."...............
..............The virus has been detected in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. It has been detected in 40 wild mammal species in 36 states, killing bears, harbor seals, foxes, squirrels and skunks, among other creatures...................
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Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/02/28/bird-flu-outbreak-kills-migratory-sandhill-cranes/80700275007/
I have been involved in counting the sandhill cranes in WI for many years. Usually starts in April.
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The Sandhill Cranes