Avian influenza still presents a threat in Montana

H5N1 avian influenza has been detected in wild as well as domesticated birds in most of the country, including in Montana. The virus was first found in wild birds in 2022, with widespread infection detected across the state of Montana, according to Jennifer Ramsey, a wildlife veterinarian with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. “We had a lot of wild bird mortality in the first year,” said Ramsey. “Lots of birds dying, lots of people calling or reporting sick birds or …