Vigilance Encouraged for Poultry and Bird Owners

HONOLULU - The Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture (HDOA) is encouraging poultry and bird owners to be vigilant due to the recent detection of avian influenza in a sample from a wastewater processing site on O‘ahu. The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) continues to investigate the source of the detection. There are no reports of avian influenza cases in humans or animals in Hawai?i and the overall risk to O?ahu and state residents remains low. 

HDOA’s Animal Disease Control Branch, two branches of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Geological Survey have been conducting routine surveillance for the virus since 2015 when highly pathogenic avian influenza was detected along the Pacific flyway, which is a migratory bird path that includes Hawai‘i. 

For decades, HDOA has maintained strict bird import laws that require permits, inspections, health certificates, identification requirements and in some cases, isolation periods prior to importation into Hawai‘i. Due to widespread outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza on the mainland, HDOA has restricted the importation of birds from areas experiencing outbreaks and has required pre-entry avian influenza test protocols. In addition, HDOA has placed an embargo on importing birds through the mail. 

Some of the symptoms of avian influenza in poultry and birds include:

- Sudden death without any prior symptoms of illness
- Lack of energy and appetite
- A drop in egg production or soft-shelled, misshapen eggs
- Swelling of the eyelids, comb, wattles and shanks
- Purple discoloration of the wattles, comb and legs
- Gasping for air (difficulty breathing)
- Nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing
- Twisting of the head and neck (torticollis)
- Stumbling or falling down
- Diarrhea

Do not touch sick or dead birds without appropriate personal protective equipment. Residents are encouraged to report sick or dead birds, especially when multiple or unusual. Poultry and bird owners in Hawai‘i who notice high mortality in their poultry or birds should contact their veterinarians and HDOA’s Division of Animal Industry at 808-483-7102 or after business hours, call 808-837-8092. 

Information for poultry and bird owners on how to increase biosecurity for their flocks may be found at: https://hdoa.hawaii.gov/ai/ldc/adconcerns/aiinfo/biosec/ 

Resources on avian influenza:

HDOA, Animal Disease Control: https://hdoa.hawaii.gov/ai/ldc/avian-influenza-information/

DOH avian influenza information: https://health.hawaii.gov/docd/disease_listing/avian-influenza/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/index.html

USDA: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza