John Munson, a Battle Ground resident with a five-acre property and pond, is no stranger to huge flocks of geese stopping by on their migration travels, but this time around, a trio of cackling geese from a flock of hundreds suffered avian influenza on his property over a December weekend.
“One day I noticed there were two dead geese, and then one small one who was probably 10 feet from my house,” Munson recalled. “It kind of looked like it was drunk. I could walk up on it.”
Munson called the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and spoke with a biologist at the Ridgefield office, who provided key guidance for everyone to follow regarding the bird flu.
“They said it’s really important not to touch it,” Munson said. “Because, how it will mutate, they’ve had people die recently in Washington over touching them, and if you do touch it, pick it up with rubber gloves only. Put it in trash bags, double bag them, and put them in your garbage or bury them at least 12 inches deep, and then disinfect your shovel with bleach. It’s highly contagious if you leave them out. A lot of times, raccoons or coyotes can get them, and that will mutate the disease.”
Munson said he watched the cackling goose succumb to the illness in about 40 hours.
“In 2025, WDFW has received reports of sick or dead wild birds in southwest Washington,” WDFW Southwest Region Communications Manager, Britton Ransford, confirmed. “However, given limited resources, WDFW reserves avian influenza testing for large-scale mortalities — more than 15-25 sick or dead birds over a short period of time.”
Munson said a WDFW staffer visited his property to confirm it was a case of avian influenza affecting the wild goose population.
A summary of confirmed avian influenza cases in wild birds and mammals is available on WDFW’s website, wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/diseases/bird-flu. WDFW encourages people to report sick or dead wild birds via its online reporting tool at arcg.is/0nmm9C.
“Avian influenza is not easily transferrable to people, especially if they take precautions and practice good hygiene,” WDFW stated. “People should not touch sick or dead birds, including trying to catch or transport them. Transporting birds can spread the virus to areas that are not already affected. Unfortunately, no treatments or vaccinations are available for this disease.”
Each migration season, a common topic amongst bird enthusiasts on social media groups is the question of “To take down, or not to take down bird feeders?”
“At this time, WDFW is not recommending that people take down wild bird feeders as there is not enough evidence to suggest that avian influenza spreads through songbirds that frequent feeders,” Ransford stated. “However, bird feeders are always a source of bacteria (e.g., salmonella), so if feeders are left up, wash them regularly, preferably with a 10-percent bleach solution, then rinse well and allow them to dry before refilling.”
Questions or reports about sick domestic birds should be directed to the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA), Ransford stated. WSDA has additional information about Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in domestic birds, including a map of confirmed detections in Washington and best practices for protecting domestic flocks, at agr.wa.gov/birdflu.
“We encourage people to follow the safety precautions outlined in WDFW’s joint news release with the Washington State Department of Agriculture and Washington State Department of Health,” Ransford stated.
The joint news release states that the WSDA and WDFW have seen a spike in bird flu detections in domestic and wild birds from multiple counties during the fall migration season. “The agencies have also learned that well-meaning members of the public have brought sick birds into their homes, barns, or vehicles in an effort to care for them,” the release states. “Both agencies warn that handling sick birds and bringing them indoors creates opportunities for bird flu to spread and can potentially pose a threat to human and pet health.”
Under the Code of Federal Regulations, it is illegal in most cases for members of the public to capture or hold wild birds without a permit, the release added. WDFW and WSDA urge the public not to attempt to treat or house wild birds themselves. Instead, residents should immediately report the bird to WDFW.
