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Out of an abundance of caution, the Hefner Museum will, for the time being, stop accepting dead birds from the general public.  We continue to consult with the public on best practices to reduce premature mortality in wild birds, including strategies to minimize window strikes, feline predation, and other common causes of bird death. 

With migration season beginning, it is likely that people will encounter birds that have died for all the usual reasons--especially bad weather, exhaustion, collision with human-made objects, and cats.  For the time being, we suggest you leave the carcasses untouched. 

If you have questions about any of this, including a specimen you think may be of particular scientific value, please contact the Museum.

The Museum issues this pause on accepting wild bird carcasses out of an abundance of caution.   Bird flu has been widespread in wild bird populations and commercial cattle operations for several years now, but increasing rates of infection in commercial poultry operations in our area combined with Ohio’s first bird flu case in a human suggest that reducing exposure to dead birds is advisable.    We want to reiterate that the overall threat to humans is minimal, cooked bird products are safe (cooking kills the disease) and the general public do not seem to be at any risk.

Please see the following resources on bird flu and zoonotic disease for more information:

• outlines Ohio's first bird flu case in a human and the fact that risks for the average person are still low. 
• Ohio Department of Public Health case in Ohio click here to read.

More on zoonotic diseases:

 A "zoonotic disease" is an infection that can be transmitted between species.  Examples include COVID-19, Rabies, and Bird flu. 

Most disease-causing agents reproduce much faster than humans or other animals do.  When anything reproduces, there are mutations.  Usually these mutations amount to no meaningful change.  But, a high rate of reproduction means lots of mutations.  Sometimes, a disease's mutations allow it to infect a new, previously immune host.  Usually nothing happens because the infectious agents, the current host, and a potential new host are not in the same place at the same time.

But, when very large numbers of both current hosts and potential hosts are in close proximity, cross-infections can happen.  H5N1 Bird flu is a sickness originating in birds.  We understand that it has been circulating in commercial cattle herds for about a year.  Reports also note cats have been infected, probably by cows, including unpasteurized milk.  Some humans who work in close proximity with industrial numbers of cattle or poultry have been reported as infected.  As wild birds migrate this season, they have potential to become infected.  By temporarily halting interactions with wild birds, we eliminate this minimal but potential source of infection.

• from USDA.
• from USDA.