Harrison Park Bird Sanctuary quarantined after bird flu was confirmed

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Avian influenza has been confirmed and quarantined in domestic birds at the Harrison Park sanctuary.

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The Canadian Food Inspection Agency informed the city Monday of positive test results for the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus after city officials Friday observed birds showing possible symptoms. Laboratory tests are required to confirm the presence of bird flu.

On the advice of the CFIA, a fence was erected around the sanctuary to prevent public contact with the native birds. The sanctuary has been quarantined.

The city’s parks and open spaces manager Adam Parsons said Tuesday morning that some birds in the park had perished as a result of the virus, including some geese and a duck.

Birds have been kept in the park since 1921 and currently around 50 native birds live there, including around 30 ducks, geese and swans outdoors and around 20 ornamental birds such as peacocks and pheasants in indoor enclosures.

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So far, no swans or ornamental birds have died and appear unaffected, Parsons said.

“The swans that we monitor a few times a day don’t seem to be affected,” Parsons said.

“Waterfowl tend to be a bit more resilient. As swans are naturally present in our environment, they seem to have a resistance to this and we really hope our swans continue to show this.”

The CFIA has responded to cases of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza in farm birds across the country. Since late 2021, new cases of the virus have been spreading around the world, resulting in bird deaths and the culling of several million fowl and egg-laying birds in Canada. It can cause serious human disease and can be transmitted to humans through direct contact with sick birds, contact with contaminated materials, eating infected birds, and in rare cases through direct contact with a sick person.

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Symptoms in poultry can range from mild, including ruffled feathers and reduced egg production, to severe and resulting in complete death of a flock within 48 hours of infection.

Parsons said they first noticed the symptoms at the park on Friday, contacted their local veterinarian and it was quickly determined that the CFIA needed to be contacted. The CFIA visited the park, conducted an inspection and, on their advice, the city installed the perimeter fence.

Parsons said that if the birds develop symptoms, they can die within hours. Symptoms they have experienced in the birds include tremors and difficulty holding their heads up.

Parsons said they worked with a CFIA vet and unfortunately there is no recommended treatment for the birds once they are infected with the virus.

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The virus can infect several species of food-producing birds such as turkeys, quail and guinea fowl, as well as domestic and wild birds. There is no evidence that eating cooked poultry or eggs can transmit the virus to humans.

City officials continue to work with the CFIA and will follow CFIA guidance as they manage the disease outbreak in the park. Key staff have received additional information, training and PPE and are continuing to provide basic bird care.

“We are still in contact with the CFIA and they are supporting us,” Parsons said. “They were an excellent organization to work with in this situation.”

While the CFIA mandate does not include testing of wild birds, Parsons said some wild birds were also found dead in the open area of ​​the sanctuary. He said they do their best to separate the wild birds from the resident birds, but it’s difficult due to the size and location of the terrain among the trees in the park.

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Parsons said staff have not yet reported any signs of the virus in wild birds elsewhere in the city.

Anyone who finds a dead wild bird is encouraged to contact the Canadian Wildlife Health Co-operative, which can be done through their website at cwhc-rcsf.ca

The Ontario Wildlife Emergency Hotline can also be contacted at 1-800-567-2033.

Other measures recommended to prevent the spread of the virus include not hand-touching or feeding wild birds, regularly cleaning backyard feeders and baths with a weak solution of household bleach and water, and following domestic and wild birds possibility to separate.