Avian Influenza & Botulism outbreak killing thousands of birds

KLAMATH COUNTY, Ore.- An Avian Influenza and Botulism outbreak in the Klamath National Wildlife Refuge Complex killing thousands of birds.

The complex is one of the most important stopover and breeding sites for waterfowl and waterbirds that fly along the Pacific Flyway.

The first cases of Avian Influenza in the complex were discovered around the end of June, and then signs of Botulism were seen early August.

With a Botulism outbreak at the refuge complex, thousands of birds are growing weak, unable to fly.

Many are simply drowning, which then exacerbates the Avian Influenza outbreak.

Water was sent to Tule and Lower Klamath Lakes to help stop this outbreak and the number of sick birds seemed to be declining, but the birds aren’t out of the woods yet.

“Birds on the schedule they’re on for migration, they start arriving in July and August. If the water levels drop enough, if the oxygen levels drop enough, that will be when the when the migrants are starting to arrive and can’t fly away,” Bird Alliance of Oregon Program Manager and Eastern Oregon Biologist Teresa Wicks said.

Wicks says it’s not likely that we’ll see a Botulism outbreak as bad as the one in 2020 that killed 60 thousand birds, but if there isn’t enough water, the number of dead birds could climb to the ten thousand marks.