The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources has confirmed that the avian flu virus has again been detected in wild birds in Utah. The current outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza has been ongoing in the U.S. since 2022, but the disease typically spreads more during the spring and fall bird migrations. “We saw a lull in new avian flu cases in wild birds from March 2025 to September 2025, but in the last few months, we have seen another uptick in new cases across Utah,” shares DWR Veterinarian Ginger Stout. Since October, 49 wild bird carcasses collected from across Utah have been submitted for disease testing and tested positive for avian influenza. “The outbreak is still ongoing, so we are still advising anyone who finds a group of five or more dead waterfowl or shorebirds — or any individual dead scavengers or raptors — to report it to the nearest DWR office. Make sure you don’t touch the birds or pick them up,” Stout said. “Report it to us, and we will come collect them for testing. We are continuing to monitor this virus in wild bird populations. This particular strain is affecting more wild birds and is more widespread than the last outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the U.S.”
