Bird flu concerns grow in New Jersey as Pennsylvania boosts farm protections
More than 1,100 dead or sick wild birds were reported in New Jersey within three days. No human cases have been reported.
File - Canada geese line up along the Wissahickon creek, Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
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Wildlife officials are investigating a possible bird flu outbreak after thousands of dead geese were reported throughout New Jersey in recent days, and Pennsylvania is stepping up protections for farms as the highly contagious avian disease spreads.
Thousands of dead birds reported in New Jersey, no human cases confirmed
More than 1,100 dead or sick wild birds were reported between Feb. 14 and 16, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, with most cases being Canadian geese. So far, no cases have been reported in humans.
Two Gloucester County parks, Alcyon Park and Betty Park, were closed after a large number of dead birds were discovered, according to 6abc. The Monmouth County Park System also confirmed reports of bird deaths and asked people not to touch dead or sick birds.
Between August 2025 and Feb. 17, 2026, New Jersey Fish and Wildlife confirmed bird flu detections in Bergen, Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth, Salem, Somerset, Sussex and Warren counties. Preliminary detections have been confirmed in Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, Essex and Hunterdon counties.
While the risk of spread to humans is low, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture said people in direct contact with infected animals should take precautions to lower the risk of infection.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends pet owners keep their pets away from wild birds and refrain from feeding their pets raw milk or raw pet food.
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Pennsylvania deploying resources for poultry farmers
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro ordered additional personnel and expanded testing to help poultry farms reduce the risk of spread and deaths.
“I know farmers are worried given the recent increase in cases, but I want them to know that my Administration is standing with them and continuing our aggressive response to protect Pennsylvania flocks,” Shapiro said in a statement.
Shapiro’s office said over 40 U.S. Department of Agriculture employees are being sent to Pennsylvania to support veterinarians in the state. A team of state employees will coordinate resources to support high-volume testing.
Since February 2022, more than 14.3 million bird deaths have been reported in Pennsylvania. Roughly half of those occurred since the beginning of 2026.
According to the USDA, 7.23 million birds have been affected nationwide in the last 30 days.
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