RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- As the annual migration of wild waterfowl begins again in fall, state agencies are encouraging Virginia residents to report bird deaths to help track and prevent the spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), also called bird flu.

A release shared on Oct. 8 by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) and the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) encouraged backyard bird owners to practice biosecurity to protect their flocks from HPAI.

The agencies also encouraged the public to report instances of wild bird deaths that meet the following criteria to wildlifehealth@dwr.virginia.gov or by calling the DWR Wildlife Conflict Helpline at 855-571-9003: • Five or more dead vultures, waterfowl, shorebirds, or seabirds in the

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