"So Many Dead Birds" - Tufts Researchers Testing For Avian Flu On Nantucket

For those who walk Nantucket's beaches during the winter, the sight of numerous dead birds littering the sand around the island has been troubling and led to speculation that avian flu might be the culprit.

Bird deaths are relatively common during the winter months, and it's not yet clear if the number of mortalities being seen around Nantucket exceeds what is normal for this time of year on the island.

But the uptick in the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus - which is now "widespread" across Massachusetts according to state agencies - has led island health officials and wildlife advocates to urge the public to take precautions, and seek answers despite the challenges of testing dead birds discovered on Nantucket for the disease.

In collaboration with the UMass Boston Field Station and Nantucket Animal Rescue, researchers from Tufts University traveled to Nantucket last weekend and collected nearly 100 dead birds - including eiders, scoters, long-tailed ducks, and gulls - to sample nervous tissue at the base of the brain that will be tested for the disease.

"There are so many dead birds - every beach is littered with them," Nantucket Animal Rescue's Rain Harbison told the Current. "What we're seeing is disproportionately male eiders."

The testing results are expected back later this week. 

"People should keep their dogs leased to control and keep them away from dead or sick birds, I think that is important to broadcast and that people should not handle dead, sick or wounded birds," said Yvonne Vaillancourt, director of UMass Boston's Nantucket Field Station. "Generally speaking, humans have been at low risk for this virus unless you handle birds - a poultry farm worker for example. HPAI has been found in other animals so there is concern about biosecurity for domestic birds and other animals, and keeping them separated from dead or possibly infected birds to limit any chance of transmission. It is hard to know what a normal number of dead birds in the winter looks like here, in particular for birds that are numerous. It does, however, seem like there are more than usual dead on the beach."

While there have been no positive test results for avian flu on Nantucket to date, the reports from around the state have been cause for concern. Bird deaths due to avian flu in Plymouth, Mass last month were described as the largest outbreak in wild birds in Massachusetts since the virus first arrived in the winter of 2021-22, according to the Plymouth Independent.

In Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard, 20 wild turkeys were found dead last weekend, and officials there suspect bird flu as the cause.

"Evidence suggests that HPAI is widespread in Massachusetts and is likely present even in places where there has not been a confirmed positive," the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife stated last week. "State officials are working with partners to test suspected cases and collaborating with municipalities to safely dispose of dead birds."

While humans rarely contract avian flu viruses, both wild and domesticated birds are susceptible, especially aquatic birds, and HPAI can also infect wild mammals that scavenge on birds.

The Tufts University team that traveled to Nantucket last week included researcher Dr. Wendy Puryear and other members of her lab at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts. Puryear, a virologist, has been coming to Nantucket regularly during the winter months to study the health of the gray seal population along with a team of researchers from other agencies and universities. While on Nantucket last week, Puryear and her team sampled both seals and birds from various locations including Great Point, the Coskata Refuge, Monomoy beach, and Warren's Landing.

At the Linda Loring Nature Foundation, Dr. Sarah Bois said she and others are keeping an eye on the situation with a "wait and see" approach, but it is not yet clear if there is an excessive number of bird deaths this year.

"We get reports and calls every winter about dead birds - usually eiders," Bois told the Current. "They winter here, so with large populations around, there will be higher numbers of birds washing up. Between typical winter die-off and the recent cold snap, I still think the current numbers are within expected winter mortality rates. The numbers people are actually seeing on the beach could be inflated since we suspect that different people are counting the same dead birds. There has been a discussion with some groups about marking counted birds. That isn't to say that we don't have bird flu...The other thing we were thinking is that it may seem like a large number on certain beaches. It's not necessarily a big die-off, but wind direction and littoral drift concentrating any dead birds in certain locations around the island."

The Nantucket Health Department recently issued an advisory on HPAI, urging island residents to take the following precautions:

• Avoid handling sick or dead birds and other wildlife.
• Report sightings of five or more dead wild birds in close proximity here.
• Keep pets away from wildlife, especially cats, which are vulnerable to HPAI.
• For domestic birds, report any illness or death of five or more birds to MDAR’s Division of Animal Health here.
• Hunters should follow best practices when handling wild game to minimize risks.

Massachusetts Environmental Police Sgt. David Wright - who is based on the island - agreed with Bois' assessment of the situation on Nantucket.

"Is it more than usual? It's hard to say," Wright told the Current. "If you've been on this island long enough, there's been dead birds around before. From my regular observations and seeing it for myself, it's really hard to say without testing."