ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — City officials in Englewood are the latest to warn residents to steer clear of dead birds as they're seeing an uptick in suspicious bird deaths that have been linked to an outbreak of avian flu.
Just last week, Denver officials sent out a similar warning about dead birds found in city parks.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), there have been 162 reported cases of avian flu in Colorado so far. Nearly half of those are geese.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife says previous avian flu strains have caused minimal disease in wild birds. However, this strain has spread to several different types of birds and has been deadly when spread to certain mammals. It is uncommon for the disease to be transmitted to humans.
People should avoid touching any dead birds they see and make sure children and pets stay away as well.
In addition to being vigilant, CPW urges you to contact your local office immediately if you happen to notice three or more dead birds in one area within a few weeks.
If you notice a dead bird on your own private property, be sure to wear gloves, a mask and eye protection. Double bag the bird and throw it away in your municipal trash before thoroughly washing your hands.
Englewood city officials are asking anyone who might notice a suspected case of avian flu to report it by leaving a message at 303-762-2335 or by emailing CodeEnforcement@englewoodco.gov.
