Nevada reports multiple cases of bird flu in geese

Map:  Wikimedia Commons

Headline:  News 4 Reno, 10/14/2026

Katherine Nowicki reports:

The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) in coordination with the Nevada Department of Agriculture, and Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health confirmed an outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in multiple flocks of geese in the Reno/Sparks region. 

Officials say the public can help by identifying infected geese, notifying the proper officials and disposing geese safely to reduce transmission to other birds and species. HPAI is a highly contagious virus that can infect poultry, wild waterfowl, and in rare cases can infect livestock and humans. 

HPAI symptoms in birds include: 

• Sneezing, coughing, eye & nasal discharge, swelling or fluid accumulating around one or both eyes. 

• Abnormal position of head or neck, poor balance and coordination, and/or circling. 

• A buildup of fluid in the bird’s legs and patchy redness of the skin. 

• Diarrhea and green discoloration of the feces. 

• Weakness, lethargy, depression. 

• Sudden death.