Utah has seen a rising number of avian influenza cases across the state. We talked with State Veterinarian Dr. Ginger Stout and Great Salt Lake ecosystem program manager John Luft about the outbreak.
Avian influenza is generally classified as either low pathogenic or highly pathogenic. Both the 2014–15 outbreak and the current outbreak are considered highly pathogenic. The strain that emerged in 2022, which persists today, is more virulent, leading to more severe impacts on wild bird populations.
Stout is a state veterinarian with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. “With this new strain, the one that started in 2022, it's more pathogenic, so it’s killed more wild birds than in the past," Stout said.
The division found that in 2014 and 2015 only two ducks tested positive for avian influenza, and both appeared to be completely healthy; since 2022 both managers and the public are seeing far more waterfowl mortalities.
“As far as the Great Salt Lake is concerned, we estimate about 50,000 grebe mortalities as well as several hundred California gulls," said John Luft, Great Salt Lake ecosystem program manager.
Stout said that since October 2025, when biologists first noticed an increase in highly pathogenic avian influenza prevalence, 49 cases have been reported. “But that doesn’t represent how many birds have died,” Stout said.
Because the division can only test a limited number of bird carcasses, the true impact is likely much broader.
“The main thing that facilitates the spread of this virus is the movement of waterfowl when wild birds migrate," Stout said.
While the numbers may sound alarming, Luft said the situation is less dire than it appears. Between Mona Lake and the Great Salt Lake, there are roughly five million grebes. “So five million grebes, and you have 50,000 deaths, that’s only 1% of the entire population.”
With so many birds potentially infected and few biologists on the ground, controlling avian influenza is a tall order — but birders and wildlife enthusiasts can help. Both Stout and Luft call public engagement vital. "It’s important that if the public sees any mortalities that they report them," Stout said.
Luft agreed. "The best information they can give us is location, approximate number of birds, if they know the species of the birds they are looking at … and even pictures.”
If you encounter a dead wild bird, your safety comes first — avoid handling it. Do not report birds that likely died from vehicle strikes or collisions with buildings or wires.
The current avian influenza strain is a novel but manageable virus — one that dedicated wildlife managers and informed outdoor enthusiasts can tackle together to limit spread.