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Buldir Island, Alaska |
Researchers on Buldir Island have discovered dead and sick seabirds, including crested auklets and black-legged kittiwakes, exhibiting symptoms consistent with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, such as unusual behavior and hemorrhages, marking a concerning event in this remote Aleutian location.
Observation by Nora Rojek:
Research crew on Buldir Island have been finding small numbers of dead and sick seabirds since their arrival on island in late May, with the suspected cause of death being Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. The birds have been found in breeding habitat areas and on trails while walking to field sites. Species detected as of 5/30/2025 have been crested auklet, parakeet auklet, and black-legged kittiwake. Some of the dead birds have been found with blood in the eyes and/or mouth. A few live birds have been observed with unusual behaviors such as appearing confused, stumbling in their walking, and unafraid of human presence. The crew will continue to monitor the situation.
Observation by Andy Ramey:
Thank you, Nora, for an extremely helpful and important report on avian health and disease from a remote location in the Aleutian Islands! Indeed, the observation of dead seabirds and others still alive though stumbling, seemingly unaware, and unafraid of humans is consistent with previous reports of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). Hemorrhages (bleeding) in various tissues have also been associated with HPAI in some cases. Other common signs of HPAI in wild birds include swimming in circles, a twisted neck, and paralysis.
Relatively small numbers of seabirds have previously been confirmed to be affected by HPAI in Alaska through laboratory testing (https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/wild-birds) including black legged-kittiwake as was mentioned in this post. Crested auklets are suspected of being affected by HPAI as part of a recent multispecies mortality event along the coast of Hokkaido, Japan (https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20250507/p2a/00m/0li/020000c#:~:text=Since%20mid%2DMarch%2C%20the%20eastern,with%20seals%20and%20sea%20otters). Much larger mortality events involving seabirds and marine mammals affected by HPAI have been previously reported in the North Atlantic (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ibi.13275, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10045683/) and in the south Pacific (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-41182-0).
LEO Network observers play an important role in identifying avian disease and mortality events in Alaska that may be associated with HPAI. In addition to sharing observations among the LEO Network community, I also encourage observers to report information on sick and dead birds in Alaska to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service using the Alaska Sick/Dead Bird Hotline at 1-866-527-3358.
LEO Network observers can minimize potential for exposure to viruses causing HPAI by following recommendations offered by the CDC, USDA, and USFWS which include avoiding the harvest or handling of wild birds that are obviously sick or found dead. Potentially helpful weblinks where observers can find more information about HPAI are provided below: https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/ https://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/fsc_hpai_hunters.pdf https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections https://dec.alaska.gov/eh/vet/animal-health-disease/avian-influenza/ https://www.usgs.gov/centers/alaska-science-center/science/qa-bird-flu-ongoing-threat-highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza
AI Comment from GPT 4.1:
The observation of suspected avian influenza among seabirds on Buldir Island is consistent with patterns seen in recent years across Alaska and the broader North Pacific region. Other regions of Alaska have also reported similar events: in May and June 2023, researchers documented dead birds with suspected HPAI in the Yukon Delta, including unusual behaviors among several species (Avian Influenza suspected on Yukon Delta). Laboratory testing was underway to confirm the presence of HPAI in those cases. Southwestern Alaska also saw the first confirmed casualty of avian influenza in a cackling goose in 2023, which displayed neurological symptoms prior to death (First bird flu casualty detected in Southwestern Alaska pending confirmation). Multiple posts have highlighted how HPAI has spread through Alaska due to the state's unique position at the meeting point of migratory pathways from both Asia and North America (Avian influenza has returned to Alaska, and so have health advisories; Avian flu confirmed in wild birds at multiple Alaska locations). The current variant is well-adapted to wild birds, which may explain continued emergence and spread in remote areas like Buldir Island. While certain die-off events, such as the mass mortality of common murres in 2014, have been attributed to factors like marine heatwaves and food shortages (Unalaskans help document largest single-species wildlife die-off ever recorded), avian influenza remains a contributing risk, particularly when birds show neurological symptoms or hemorrhaging, as noted in this observation and others. Transmission of HPAI to mammals has also been confirmed in Alaska, including cases in a Kodiak brown bear cub and a red fox in Unalaska, likely resulting from scavenging infected birds (Kodiak brown bear cub dies of bird flu; H5N1 Avian influenza detected in a red fox in Unalaska). This underscores the importance of avoiding contact with sick or dead wildlife, as also emphasized in agency health advisories.> For more details on safe handling, reporting protocols, and current distribution of avian influenza, refer to the resources linked above and in health advisory posts. Continued close monitoring and reporting remain vital for understanding and managing HPAI in Alaska’s bird populations.
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Nora Rojek
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Andrew Ramey
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Sarah Yoder
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