Avian Bird Flu 2024. Avian influenza, sometimes known as bird flu, is a disease caused by a virus that mainly affects birds but can also affect mammals, including humans. We are currently responding to cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (hpai) in birds across canada.
As of august 2024, there is no official recommendation for people to take down bird feeders because of the risk of avian influenza (see next section). Bird flu is now infecting cows, the fda found viral genetic material in milk, and a second human was recently infected.