Stratford swan dies of avian flu
The City of Stratford is urging residents and visitors not to feed local waterfowl including geese, ducks and swans after one its swans died of avian influenza.
In a media release, the city said it lost one of its young swans earlier this month. Testing has now confirmed that it died of avian influenza.
Several wild turkey vultures along the Avon River in Stratford, as well as a bald eagle in nearby St. Marys have also died recently as a result of the virus, the city said.
“Hand feeding encourages birds to congregate around food sources, and can increase the probability of transmission of the Avian Influenza virus, also known as the ‘bird flu,’” the city said.
The swans have been a fixture in Stratford since 1918 and are most famous for their annual spring parade, which traditionally draws large crowds.
The city also provided this list of signs of avian flu in birds “people should look out for”:
- nervousness, tremors or lack of coordination
- swelling around the head, neck and eyes
- lack of energy or movement
- coughing, gasping for air or sneezing
- diarrhea or
- sudden death
Twenty-one swans make their way toward the Avon River during the Stratford Swan Parade on Sunday, April 8, 2018.
Anyone who finds a dead, injured or sick swan in the parks system is asked to call the City of Stratford’s Parks, Forestry and Cemetery Manager at 519-271-0250 extension 246.
If a sick or dead wild bird is found on private property, it should be immediately reported to the Ontario regional centre of the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative at (866) 673-4781, or online.
The city noted there is a very small risk of transmission from birds to animals, but people should not touch dead, injured or sick birds.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.