USDA APHIS updated its national wild-bird surveillance page for highly pathogenic avian influenza. Wild birds may carry HPAI without obvious illness and can introduce virus into new areas, making surveillance an early-warning tool for poultry and other susceptible populations.
Three quick summaries of the same article, tailored for different readers.
Wild birds can carry highly pathogenic avian influenza without appearing sick. That does not mean every bird in a yard is dangerous, but direct contact with ill or dead wildlife deserves caution. Do not handle carcasses bare-handed, and call a veterinarian if a pet develops illness after a known exposure.
The USDA page provides maps and current detection data.A positive county-level wildlife detection does not diagnose an individual patient. It does, however, change pretest context when compatible respiratory, neurologic, or systemic illness follows exposure. Document exposure date, species, ingestion, raw diet, poultry contact, PPE use, and household risks, then follow clinic infection-control and public-health guidance.
APHIS provides the underlying maps, tables, and surveillance notes.HPAI surveillance integrates wildlife sampling, molecular confirmation, spatial mapping, and reporting to identify viral movement before domestic outbreaks become obvious. The page also illustrates limits of surveillance data: detection date may differ from collection date, sampling is not uniform, and county-level presence does not predict individual exposure with certainty.
The original dashboard explains testing and classification conventions.