Frozen Birds, Hidden Virus: Why Saving Them Can Be Harmful

The H5N1 avian influenza has become endemic in wild waterfowl, and cold conditions help the virus persist on ice. Public rescue of apparently stranded birds can be counterproductive, as birds may be suffering from infection or stress rather than distress that rescue would fix. Officials urge distancing, reporting dead or ill birds to authorities, and avoiding feeding to prevent crowding that amplifies transmission. The situation has broader implications for poultry losses and surveillance, underscoring that rescuing a single bird can complicate public health and wildlife monitoring.