FARMERSBURG, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) continues to detect Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in wild birds throughout the state including two counties in the Wabash Valley.
DNR officials state the H5N1 virus has been detected in 30 Indiana counties. HPAI is also suspected in an additional 32 counties based on reports involving the deaths of raptors, cranes, and waterfowl.
According to the Indiana DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife, avian influenza has been detected in wild birds in the following Indiana counties: Adams, Allen, Bartholomew, Benton, Boone, Clinton, Decatur, Gibson, Greene, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Henry, Huntington, Jackson, Jasper, Lake, LaPorte, Marion, Newton, Pike, Porter, Randolph, Ripley, Shelby, Starke, Tippecanoe, Union, Vanderburgh, and Vermillion.
According to the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH) strains referred to as “highly pathogenic” are considered more deadly to poultry and wild birds.
According to the DNR HPAI is a disease caused by an influenza virus that usually spreads among birds. It is common in wild birds, especially waterfowl, shorebirds, and raptors.
Eli Fleace is a Fish and Wildlife Health Biologist with the Indiana DNR. He said “Avian influenza has been in America since December of 2021. It was detected in Canada and New Finland in December of 2021 and shortly after that it made its way down the Eastern Coast of the U.S. Indiana was the first state outside of the eastern coast that it was found on.”
Fleace added that in February of 2022, avian influenza was found in domestic poultry.
Fleace said that throughout most of 2022, 2023 and most of 2024 there were just a few scattering reports of waterfowl dieoffs with this virus. Adding that those reports were typically very small.
“This year, (2025) shortly after the snow geese migrated back down, we started to get way more detections,” Fleace told WTWO. “The virus this year has been considerably more deadly than it has been in the past for wild birds, but it’s not a new virus. H5N1 has been around since 1996 in China, so it’s not a new virus but it is behaving a little bit differently than other avian influenza strands have in the past,” he added.
More than 1,500 sandhill cranes have been affected by the virus since January. Officials say that has resulted in a large number of sandhill crane deaths in Greene, Jackson, Jasper, LaPorte, Newton, Starke, and Union counties. This includes the Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area in Greene County.
Fleace does not expect this to have a long-term effect on the sandhill crane population.
“I don’t expect this to have a huge effect on the sandhill population,” Fleace said. “This is still a very small percentage. It’s a huge number of birds, we’re talking thousands of birds, but it’s still a relatively small percentage of their population. A lot of these sandhill cranes will have gotten the virus and just gotten over it by themselves, which means they’ll have immunity going into the future. So I don’t expect this to have a huge lasting effect on their population, they’re going to reproduce next year, they’ll bring their numbers up over time.”
Fleace said it’s been hard to predict as these viruses mutate so readily.
“I’m hoping that next year there’ll be more immunity on a wider scale in waterfowl and cranes and we won’t see as dramatic of dieoffs as we have this year,” he said.
What are the clinical signs of avian influenza?
According to the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH), the following are the clinical signs of HPAI:
- Sudden death without clinical signs
- Lack of energy and appetite
- Decreased egg production and/or soft-shelled or misshapen eggs
- Swelling of the head, eyelids, comb, wattles, combs and legs
- Nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing
- Incoordination
- Diarrhea
You can read more about avian influenza from the BOAH in the pdf file below.
What should you do if you find sick or dead wild birds/poultry?
The Indiana DNR encourages sick or dead wild birds to be reported to the agency. To report sick or dead birds to the IN DNR click here.
Fleace said if you report on that site you may or may not hear back but that the reporting does help the DNR to track what is going on in the populations, where the virus is moving and how it’s affecting different species
According to the BOAH, dead poultry should be reported by calling the USDA Healthy Birds hotline at: 866-536-7593.
Will the DNR remove dead birds?
Fleace noted that the DNR does not offer carcass removal services.
According to the DNR website, a wildlife control operator can be hired to remove carcasses.
Should dead birds be disposed of?
Fleace said that the public should avoid contact with sick waterfowl and other sick wildlife whenever possible to avoid exposure. However, if it is necessary to remove a carcass, follow these steps to safely dispose of the bird:
- Wear a mask
- Wear disposable gloves
- Double bag carcasses
- Place double-bagged carcasses in a secure trash container
- Wash hands immediately with soap and warm water
“And if they have domestic animals it’s probably best to try and disinfect their shoes and clothes as well,” Fleace said. “Which can be done with rubbing alcohol and washing clothing on a hot cycle,” he added.
Can my pet get the virus?
“If you have domestic animals, make sure you’re taking precautions to keep those protected,” Fleace said.
According to the DNR website, some avian influenza viruses can affect mammals. As of 2024, HPAI has been detected in mice, red foxes, opossums, skunks, raccoons, bobcats, and other wild mammals. It has also been reported in several domestic species, including cattle, goats, pigs, horses, cats, dogs, and ferrets.
Fleace said he has read a couple of stories of cats picking this virus up across the country.
“It is pretty deadly for cats,” he said. “A lot of these cats that get the virus, they do not do well it. So, it is possible for domestic animals to get it.
Can humans get avian influenza?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), while the public health risk for HPAI is low it should be noted that it is possible for humans to contract HPAI.
“It’s incredibly rare for a human to get infected with avian influenza,” Fleace said. “The vast majority of these people that are getting infected are agricultural workers, and those agricultural workers are stuck inside barns where there are hundreds or thousands and some cases millions of affected animals. And so their exposure rate to the virus is considerably higher than an average person is going to have.”
Fleace said that while the risk to the average person is very low, it’s especially true outdoors as it relates to wildlife.
“When you’re outside you’re not trapping yourself in a closed building with the virus,” Fleace said. “But it is still better to avoid waterfowl wherever possible because it is still zoonotic, which means it can affect people, even if the risk is really, really low. We’re advising people to avoid contact with waterfowl or carcasses where they can.”
How can I protect myself?
The Indiana Department of Health offers the following steps to protect yourself:
- Avoid Contact with Wild Birds
- Do not touch sick or dead waterfowl
- Observe wild birds and other animals from a distance.
- Avoid coming into contact with bird droppings
- Clean bird feeders regularly
- Practice Good Hygiene
- Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after any contact with birds or their droppings
- Avoid touching your face with unwashed hands
- If wild birds must be handled, protective equipment such as safety goggles, disposable gloves, and an N95 mask should be worn
- Keep Pets Away
- Keep domestic animals, especially poultry and cats, away from wild birds and areas where they congregate
You can read more on staying safe by reading the pdf below from the IDOH.
Should birdfeeders be taken down?
According to Fleace, not yet.
“The idea behind taking birdfeeders down is that you’re going to reduce the transmission of the virus because these songbirds are not going to have as much interaction with each other, so they’re less likely to pick up the virus, which means they’re less likely to spread it,” he said. “For the season, we haven’t been asking people to take their bird feeders down, because the virus is already so spread across the state that taking your bird feeder down really isn’t going to reduce the spread. Because it’s already spread,” he added.
According to Fleace, the DNR is asking for birdfeeders to be cleaned regularly. Noting that avian influenza is not the only pathogen out there.
“We ask people to clean their bird feeders at least once every two weeks with a 10 percent bleach solution,” Fleace said. “It’s best to wear gloves and a mask when you do that, not just for avian influenza, sometimes those bird feeders can have salmonella on them as well.”
What does this mean for visitors to Goose Pond FWA?
Fleace told WTWO that if someone were to visit Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area it’s possible they might see some dead birds.
“From what I’ve heard, the birds out at Goose Pond are not nearly as dramatic as some of the birds that were in Jackson County,” Fleace said. “At Goose Pond, they’re more spread out, a little bit harder to see. But there are dead birds out there and they certainly can be seen. It is tragic to see those dead birds, especially out at Goose Pond where so many birders love that property. But it’s not going to be the end of the world,” he added.
What is the DNR doing?
DNR continues to monitor avian influenza in affected species throughout the state.
The Division of Fish & Wildlife (DFW) has partnered with USDA-APHIS to increase wild bird surveillance by testing hunter-harvested waterfowl. DFW personnel continually collect samples from wild birds across the state for HPAI surveillance using reports from the public
“We’re working closely with our State Board of Health and State Board of Animal Health on this issue. For that area specifically (Greene and Vermillion Counties), it just means making sure if you’re a poultry farmer that you’re keeping up with your biosecurity and trying to make sure you keep your own birds safe. I don’t expect this to affect the communities there outside of the agricultural scope,” Fleace said.
In conclusion, Fleace said cranes and other populations have dealt with diseases in the past that have wiped out large numbers and they “always come back from it.”
Fleace looks for numbers to decline as warmer weather approaches.
“It’s a cold weather virus,” Fleace said. “So as the temperatures start to warm, I’m expecting to see cases taper off,” he added.
