Why Are NY State Birds Dying? Will Effect You and Your Pets?

It isn't rare to see a dead bird while you are walking the dog or out for a run but it isn't a common sight either. If the latest warning from the New York Department of Environmental Conservation holds true you may be seeing more and more dead birds around New York State.

Just this morning as I was walking through the parking lot at work there was the sad sight of a dead bird and now I am wondering if it is the Avian Flu.

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This week the DEC have announced that the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza virus has been found in multiple wild bird species in several areas of New York State and there are some precautions we should be taking to ensure we and our pets don't catch the virus.

The first is easy as the DEC suggests that we stay away from wild birds. Done! To date, this bird flu has not infected any humans in the United States and, according to the U.S. CDC, these recent cases of Avian Flu do not present an immediate public health concern.

Lainie Rae

There are reports that, although rare, some pet birds have been infected with the Avian Flu and have died. The latest strain of the disease is showing the potential of killing a large number of wild birds and domestic poultry which could effect New York farms. If your animals have food and water sources that wild birds can also access there is a chance of virus transmission.

Here are the New York Counties where the Avian Flu has been detected in captive chickens, pheasants, and ducks.

Dutchess
Ulster
Monroe
Fulton

The Avian Flu was detected in free-ranging wild birds in these New York Counties:

Cayuga
Clinton
Montgomery
Monroe
Onondaga
Seneca
Suffolk
Nassau
Livingston
Wayne

While the risk of a person becoming infected is low, individuals can protect themselves by only harvesting game that appears to be healthy and properly cooking any game meat being eaten to an internal temperature of 165° F.

Masks Should Be Worn In These New York Counties According To The CDC

According to CDC data, these counties fall in "substantial" or "high" zones as of 8/3/2021.

New York Mob Boss John Gotti's Abandoned Mansion with Secret Room Discovered!

WARNING: Under no circumstances should you enter this property. By doing so you risk bodily harm and/or prosecution for trespassing on private property.

NY mob boss John Gotti's mansion sits abandoned in Old Westbury with many possessions still inside. The Gotti compound boasts a main house, a pool/guest house, a garage, a horse stable with an unfinished in-law apartment, an overgrown basketball court, and a triple-level hot tub/pool/swim-up bar. This was the mansion that Gotti's daughter Victoria called home with her 3 sons John, Carmine, and Frank. They filmed the reality show "Growing Up Gotti" here for 3 seasons in 2004 and 2005. After the feds raided the mansion in 2016, it has laid dormant with a lot of possessions left behind. What trespassers found was something no one expected. A hidden room behind a built-in bookshelf. Check it out!