State officials are investigating “numerous” dead vultures found in Rocky Mount to determine if they died of avian flu.
The discovery of the dead birds on a wooded lot in the town follows confirmation this fall of avian flu in wild birds in nine localities in Virginia, mostly across the state’s southern tier, and almost always involving vultures, with an occasional Canada goose. Meanwhile, the state is investigating suspected avian flu cases in other localities, also mostly in the southern half of the state.
Michael Persia, a Virginia Tech professor and poultry nutrition specialist, told Cardinal News last month that the number of vultures turning up dead from avian flu was unusual but probably didn’t represent a wider spread of the virus. (See Cardinal’s previous report.)
Vultures move around more than smaller wild birds, which could help explain the recent cases, Persia said then. “My guess is that it’s probably a one-off” series of deaths and not a long-term indicator of a new spread pattern.
October and November are typical times when the virus recurs as migrating wild birds carry it on their travels, Persia said. During warm summer weather, the virus is not as stable, he explained.
In the Rocky Mount case, an undetermined number of vultures were found dead Tuesday “at a wooded lot on the corner of Dent Street and Franklin Street (Route 40),” the town said. Some were in an unnamed wet weather creek that feeds into Furnace Creek after a rain.
“The Town’s Water Treatment Plant does not draw water from this very shallow creek and, thus, the Town’s water system is not impacted,” the town said in a statement. The site has been blocked off with caution tape, and the town said that “out of an abundance of caution, the public is advised to stay out of the waterways in and around that area until the situation is fully assessed and cleared.”
A biologist from the state Department of Wildlife Resources arrived Wednesday.
“Due to recent detections of highly pathogenic avian influenza in black vultures, the Department is treating this as a suspected case and is sending samples to be tested,” department spokeswoman Shelby Crous said. DWR sends test samples to the University of Georgia for testing. She said results are expected “by the end of next week.”
