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Avian Influenza FAQ

As avian influenza has been a hot topic over the past couple of months, we have received many questions from concerned wildlife enthusiasts about the virus. In this article, we address your questions and provide resources to stay up to date on avian influenza developments. For further information on avian influenza you can also refer to this article.

Have there been any recent positive cases in BC?

Should I be worried about my own health?

Can I get avian influenza from petting a bird?

Can eggs/dairy transmit the avian influenza virus to humans?

A sick bird was in my yard, will my dog get sick?

Should I be worried about cleaning bird feeders in my sink?

How do I disinfect my patio/items on my patio?

Can all birds get avian influenza? Has avian influenza been detected in hummingbirds?

Have there been any recent positive cases in BC?

This avian influenza dashboard shows test results from across Canada.

Should I be worried about my own health?

In general, the risk to human health from wild birds infected with an avian influenza virus (both low and high pathogenic strains) is considered to be low. You can read more here.

However, since research regarding avian influenza is ongoing, it’s important to adhere to government guidelines, such as the recommendation to not handle sick wild birds.

You can find more government information and guidelines here.

Can I get avian influenza from petting a bird?

The government recommends not to touch or handle sick birds or animals. Avian influenza is a respiratory disease. If you touch a sick bird or animal, then touch your eyes, nose, mouth or face, it is possible for you to get sick.

If you do touch a sick bird or animal, always wash your hands with soap and water and after removing gloves. Clean, disinfect or dispose of any potentially contaminated clothing, equipment or surface.

If you have touched or handled a sick or dead animal, watch for symptoms for 10 days after exposure. You can find additional guidance from the BC Centre of Disease Control here.

Can eggs/dairy transmit the avian influenza virus to humans?

Currently, the Canadian government states: “There is no evidence to suggest that eating cooked poultry or eggs could transmit the virus to humans.” You can read more here.

A sick bird was in my yard, will my dog get sick?

Avian influenza, primarily adapted to birds, is not as easily transmitted to mammals. While much less common, many types of mammals have been infected including pigs, horses, dogs, domestic and wild cats, foxes, cows, goats, squirrels, mice, skunks, marine mammals, bears, mustelids, opossums and humans.

If your pet has been in contact with a sick bird, it’s important to monitor for symptoms. Fever, lethargy, eye infections, lack of appetite, difficulty breathing, or neurological issues (like seizures or tremors) are symptoms of avian influenza to look out for in dogs and cats.

If your pet is showing symptoms of avian influenza, contact your veterinarian immediately. If you do not have a vet, you can find the closest one to you here.

You can find additional information on how to protect your pet from avian influenza here.

Should I be worried about cleaning bird feeders in my sink?

Using a dedicated tub or laundry room sink may be wise to prevent splatter of any pathogens from bird feeders onto food preparation surfaces. Whether you clean your feeders in a sink, tub, or outside, we advise thoroughly disinfecting the area where you clean any feeders when you’re done. You can find additional feeder cleaning guidelines here.

How do I disinfect my patio/items on my patio?

When disinfecting any items it’s important to wear the necessary PPE, like gloves and a mask. Clean the contaminated area with soap and water and then disinfect the space and cleaning items.

Wash your hands with warm soapy water after removing your gloves. Be sure to dispose of the PPE and other contaminated items in a plastic bag.

Can all birds get avian influenza? Has avian influenza been detected in hummingbirds?

Avian influenza is most prevalent in waterfowl and shorebirds, as well as any bird that scavenges or preys upon these birds i.e. birds of prey, gulls and corvids. However, other species may also become ill with avian flu.

Thus far, we are unaware of any reports of hummingbirds being affected by the avian influenza virus in Canada. If you’d like to stay updated about the species impacted by avian influenza, this government dashboard provides an up-to-date overview. Cornell Lab also shares a detailed list of affected species.

More commonly observed diseases among hummingbirds include fungal infections like candidiasis. This fungal infection causes a hummingbird’s tongue to swell, making it impossible for them to eat. As with other avian diseases, the spread of candidiasis can be prevented by cleaning feeders regularly.

You can find a detailed hummingbird feeder cleaning guidance here.

Window Strikes Surge as Fall Migration is Underway

As the crisp air of fall sets in, many of us enjoy the vibrant colors and the cooler temperatures. However, for our feathered friends embarking on their journey south, this season poses significant risks.

Fall migration has started and the Wildlife Hospital has already seen a steep increase in birds admitted for window strike treatment in August and September. This uptick highlights the dangers migrating birds face as they navigate urban landscapes.

Why Are Birds Striking Windows?

During migration, birds often travel at night and may be disoriented by city lights and reflective surfaces. Glass windows and railings, which can appear invisible to birds, present a deadly hazard. With their large windows and glass balcony railings, high-rise buildings are especially dangerous for migrating birds.

The Hidden Dangers

Window collisions are a leading cause of death for migratory and resident birds across the world. The stark reality is that these bird-glass collisions result in the death of approximately 25 million birds annually in Canada, a statistic reported by Global Bird Rescue.

Birds that have impacted a window often suffer from concussions, internal injuries, eye injuries, and fractured bones. Even if a bird seems to recover from an initial window strike, injuries can develop or worsen up to 48 hours later. This delayed effect makes immediate care from a trained wildlife rehabilitator critical for the survival of these birds.

How You Can Make a Difference

There are several proactive measures you can take to help reduce window strikes and safeguard migrating birds:

Close Your Blinds: This simple action helps reduce reflections during day and night and makes glass windows less confusing for birds.
Use Window Decals: Applying decals or patterns to your windows can make them more visible to birds and prevent collisions. When using window decals, it’s important to apply the pattern across the entire glass. Spaces in between stickers should be no greater than 5 cm/2 inches and each sticker at least 5 mm wide. They should be applied to the outside of the window. Find more information on window decals here.
Get Creative with Tempera Paint: Mark the outside of the window with tempera paint, which is affordable and long lasting. You can use a grid pattern of 2 inches by 2 inches or get creative and create artwork covering the whole surface of your window.
Turn Off Lights at Night: Bright lights can attract birds. By dimming or turning off unnecessary lights, you can help birds navigate more safely. It’s still good to take additional precautions against window collisions using any of the above methods

What to Do if a Bird Strikes Your Window

If you encounter a bird that has collided with a window, it is important to seek help from a trained wildlife rehabilitator immediately. Contact the Wildlife Rescue Support Centre for assistance at wildliferescue.ca/report-an-emergency.

Support Window Strike Victims

This year, Wildlife Rescue celebrates its 45th anniversary, marking decades of dedicated care thanks to the support of our incredible Wildlife Community. Your generosity today will support our vital work and help window strike victims recover. You can donate here.

By taking these steps, we can all contribute to creating a safer environment for our migrating avian neighbours. Let’s work together to ensure that every bird has a safe journey this fall!

To Feed or Not To Feed?

Fall and Winter Bird Feeder Guidance

Many of us like to give wildlife a helping hand by providing bird feeders over the cold fall and winter months. With various avian diseases spreading during these months, it is important to be mindful about offering food in a safe way. Ultimately, the goal is to do what is best for wildlife!

Wildlife Rescue notices an increase in birds presenting with contagious avian diseases, such as salmonella and conjunctivitis, during the colder months. Diseases can easily spread among birds sharing feeders because feeders attract large numbers of birds to one location.

We can’t tell a sick bird not to come to the buffet, so sometimes it’s best just to postpone the dinner party before anyone else gets sick.

If you notice sick birds in your backyard, we recommend cleaning your feeders and putting them away for at least 3-4 weeks and until sick birds are no longer present in your backyard. This way you can help minimize the spread of avian diseases.

Here are a few symptoms to look out for:

They look puffed up and sleepy (they may sleep on the feeder)
Not alert or not moving very much
Inactive and have seeds all over their beak
Swollen or abnormal looking eyes
Seeking heat up against a building

If you are choosing to offer a feeder, we recommend taking the following steps to help keep wildlife safe:

Remove all seeds from the ground daily.
Please clean your feeder at least every two weeks by washing it with hot soapy water.
Then, rinse the feeder thoroughly and disinfect using a solution of one part household bleach and nine parts water.
Ensure that the feeder is thoroughly rinsed and fully dried after disinfection before refilling with fresh food.

Please note hummingbird feeders have a different set of recommendations.

Other ways to support wildlife

Including native plants in backyard gardens is another effective way to provide food and shelter to wild birds over the fall and winter months. You will attract more wildlife visitors to your yard without needing to maintain a feeder.

These are some native species you can plant in BC:

White Fawn Lily
Salmonberry
Oso berry
Red-Flowering Currant
Native Columbines
Lupines
Pacific Bleeding Heart

Have you seen birds showing signs of disease, or do you have any questions? Reach out to our Support Centre for support and guidance here.

Thank you for looking out for your local wildlife!

How to Safely Drop Off Wildlife

Hundreds of injured and orphaned wildlife patients arrive at Wildlife Rescue due to window and car strikes, nest disturbances, and natural and human disturbances.

Below is your step-by-step guide that takes you through the process of dropping off rescued animals.

Found an animal in distress?

If, at any time, you are unsure what to do please contact our Support Centre for advice on how to handle injured wildlife. This is the fastest way to get in touch with our Support Centre staff and volunteers who can help assess the situation and guide you through it. Never attempt to handle anything dangerous such as a bird of prey or bat yourself.
If you are going to handle small songbirds or waterfowl, we suggest wearing gloves and a mask for the safety of animals and yourself. Use a cardboard box with small ventilation holes and a completely secure top. Place a towel inside and put the animal on the towel, closing the top quickly and securely. Place a towel over the box.

Dropping off at Wildlife Rescue:

Please notify our Support Centre team by reporting a wildlife emergency.
Our drop off hours vary seasonally, but our Support Centre is available to answer questions from 9:00-3:00 pm daily, 7 days a week (including holidays).

If you plan to drop wildlife at the centre during operating hours, please follow these instructions:

Proceed to 5216 Glencarin Drive, on the south shore of Burnaby Lake.
Please park in any of the parking spots in either parking lot.
Follow the signage to our Admissions Centre where Wildlife Rescue personnel will guide you on next steps.

If you plan to drop wildlife at the centre after operating hours, please follow these instructions:

Proceed to 5216 Glencarin Drive, on the south shore of Burnaby Lake.
When you are within sight of the end of Glencarin Drive you will notice the Administration Building on your left with the clearly marked Intake Shed to the left of the stairs.
Please park in any of the parking spots in either parking lot.
Place the bird in a secured and ventilated box on the shelf inside the Intake Shed.
Completely fill out the front side of the white intake form (located on the clipboard) so we know where the bird was found and what happened to it.
Place the form under the box.
Ensure the door to the Intake Shed is securely closed when you depart.
Please consider donating to help care for the patient you have found here.

Duckling FAQ

Spring is duckling season, and with that comes a lot of questions about what to do when little baby ducks show up in unexpected places. Get your questions answered with our quick and handy Duckling FAQ! If you still have any questions, please contact our Support Centre.

Download Here (Duckling FAQ)

How You Can Help Nesting Herons

Like many bird species, the large and majestic Great Blue Herons are working away at nesting and laying eggs. While they’re not an uncommon sight around Vancouver, they are a species at risk in BC.

Despite their relatively large size, herons are extremely sensitive birds. The slightest human disturbance can cause a heron to completely abandon their nest. As herons nest in colonies of multiple families (also known as rooks), a group of herons abandoning a nest due to stress can be devastating.

What can you do to help? If you’ve noticed herons nesting near your home or favourite walking path, do your best to steer clear of the nest to prevent disturbing the birds. Keep an eye out for signs. Sometimes conservation officers will place them in the area to warn the public that a heron nest is nearby.

The above is especially true if you have a lovable canine friend. Dogs are a big disturbance for nesting herons, so be sure to keep your best friend close, on a leash, and well away from nesting sites on your daily walks this spring.

Your donations are critical to helping the local heron population! With your help, nests of orphaned baby herons can receive the care they need at Wildlife Rescue. Together, we can do our part to help these majestic, and sensitive, animals survive.

Co-existing with Coyotes

There are more babies on the way in spring than just birds! Coyotes are great at pest control, eating rats and mice, so it’s important to know how we can best share our environment with these tenacious wild animals.

Coyotes will form breeding pairs and begin having litters of puppies around this time of year. They are dedicated parents, and both males and females will stay with the litter. Coyotes are more visible at this time of year as they’ll be patrolling their territory with frequency. They might appear to act more aggressive, but in reality they’re just trying to keep their little ones safe. So, what can we do if we think there’s coyote activity in our neighbourhood?

Our friends at the Stanley Park Ecology Society have come up with the following guidelines for safe coexistence:

During breeding season it is very important for people to be aware of their surroundings when they’re out in parks or natural spaces, especially if they are walking a dog.

Avoid encounters altogether – consult the Stanley Park Ecology Society coyote sightings map for areas to avoid and adjust your route and respect trail closures.
Keep dogs on-leash to give you more control if you encounter a coyote.
Should you see a coyote, keep an eye on it as you walk steadily away from the area, picking up your dog, if able. Stay calm and observe its behaviour for cues.
If a coyote gets too close, haze it by raising your arms to be BIG and yell deeply to be LOUD.
Do not run away from a coyote; this may invite it to chase you.
Assess properties for food attractants and potential denning sites. Remove any food sources like open trash or compost. Cut down overgrown vegetation and close off any openings that can be used as dens.

Most importantly, If you see a coyote, you can report the sighting to the Stanley Park Ecology Society here! This helps the conservation community know where activity is highest and can help keep people, pets and coyotes safe.

Your Garden Can Help Wildlife!

Now that spring is well on its way, many of us are looking to get started on the season’s gardening so that we can enjoy a beautiful outdoor space all summer. You can get your backyard ready for yourself and help wildlife at the same time this spring with these simple tips from the Wildlife Rescue team!

First, this weekend is looking like a great time to start trimming hedges and shrubs. Few species will have started nesting at this point, so you’re less at risk of disturbing a nest. Hummingbirds do settle down early, so be on the lookout for their little nests. Any cut branches you’ve left behind might then be snatched up to help build a comfortable home for other birds.

You may be tempted to keep going and start raking all those fallen leaves, but here’s a great excuse to put it off a little longer! Pollinators like bees and butterflies will overwinter under piles of insulating leaves. Wait until temperatures are consistently 10 degrees Celsius or higher before cleaning up to give these beneficial insects time to wake up for spring.

When it’s time to get planting, focus on native species for your balcony or yard. These species help feed hummingbirds and berry eaters, so your greenspace can support their foraging. As an added bonus, you’ll attract more wildlife visitors to your yard without needing to maintain a feeder.

In BC, plant native species, like…

As always, thank you for looking out for your local wildlife!

Valentine’s Day Cards

Robins are red,

Herons are blue.

Wildlife Rescue,

Made Valentines for you!

Download the collection here

This collection of eight Valentine’s is free for you to download and print!

Donations to Wildlife Rescue Association go directly supporting vulnerable wildlife in need and are always appreciated!

Kids Colouring Pages

Help your kids engage with wildlife with our Wildlife Rescue themed colouring pages. You can download and print from selected seasonal themes at the list below. More will be added regularly throughout the year!

Featuring Artwork by Maria Horan

Bird and Bat Celebrate Lunar New Year (2023)

Bird and Bat Celebrate New Years (2023)

Bird and Bat Make a Snowman

Bird and Bat Trim the Tree

Bird and Bat Carve a Jack o’ Lantern

Blog

Have there been any recent positive cases in BC?

Should I be worried about my own health?

Can I get avian influenza from petting a bird?

Can eggs/dairy transmit the avian influenza virus to humans?

A sick bird was in my yard, will my dog get sick?

Should I be worried about cleaning bird feeders in my sink?

How do I disinfect my patio/items on my patio?

Can all birds get avian influenza? Has avian influenza been detected in hummingbirds?

Why Are Birds Striking Windows?

The Hidden Dangers

How You Can Make a Difference

What to Do if a Bird Strikes Your Window

Support Window Strike Victims

Fall and Winter Bird Feeder Guidance

Other ways to support wildlife

Found an animal in distress?

Dropping off at Wildlife Rescue:

If you plan to drop wildlife at the centre during operating hours, please follow these instructions:

If you plan to drop wildlife at the centre after operating hours, please follow these instructions:

During breeding season it is very important for people to be aware of their surroundings when they’re out in parks or natural spaces, especially if they are walking a dog.

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