Avian flu suspected in death of multiple geese at park in Webster

WEBSTER, N.Y. — The state’s Department of Environmental Conservation is looking into a suspected avian flu outbreak after nearly two dozen geese were found dead in Webster.

The Canada geese were found dead at the North Pond Park Trail off Orchard Road starting on Saturday. Their bodies will be tested at the Cornell Wildlife Health Lab in Ithaca. The DEC is urging anyone who sees multiple sick or dead birds in an area to call their regional office with the phone numbers listed here.

Avian flu is very contagious and often deadly for birds but it isn’t a risk to humans. The virus damages multiple internal organs and can kill a bird in a manner of days. The large category of viruses have been found to infect more than 100 different species of birds worldwide.