NARROWSBURG, NY — The River Reporter in its October 13 to 19  issue reported that the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) may have detected avian influenza in a flock of black vultures in Narrowsburg. The DEC has since confirmed this information.

The black vultures the DEC tested had the H5N1 strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), according to Wendy Rosenbach, regional public participation specialist for Region 3. No other reports were made in the area, said Rosenbach, "but based on our wild bird surveillance HPAI can show up anywhere in NY over the next few months and probably longer."

The DEC does not plan to take any action beyond monitering the situation, though it may suggest in isolated incidents that the property owner remove dead birds if feasible.

"HPAI can be found statewide (actually nationwide including states and provinces along the Atlantic coast) so this is not an isolated problem for Narrowsburg," said Rosenbach.

The CDC maintains a page detailing detection of H5N1 HPAI across the nation. As of October 5, H5N1 HPAI had been found in 2,746 wild birds across the nation, with 46 states affected: click here for the most up to date information.

The DEC came to investigate Narrowsburg's black vultures at the request of local resident Lorraine Bodens. Bodens detected unusual behavior in the black vultures surrounding her property, including the birds killing and eating each other: click here for the full story.