Operation Wildlife is issuing an urgent warning that Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), or Bird Flu, is hitting the Kansas City metro area hard, reporting more than 15 daily calls about sick birds. 

The majority of affected animals are waterfowl, specifically ducks and geese, which are displaying severe symptoms like tremors, breathing difficulty, and sudden death. HPAI is a fatal disease for birds and is highly contagious, posing a significant risk to other avian species, domestic cats, and carrying a potential, though low, risk for human infection. 

Experts emphasize that the public must not handle any sick or deceased birds and should instead contact Operation Wildlife at 785-542-3625 for guidance on how to safely proceed.

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 </figure>By RYAN SKAITHOperation Wildlife is issuing an urgent warning that Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), or Bird Flu, is hitting the Kansas City metro area hard, reporting more than 15 daily calls about sick birds. The majority of affected animals are waterfowl, specifically ducks and geese, which are displaying severe symptoms like tremors, breathing difficulty, and sudden death. HPAI is a fatal disease for birds and is highly contagious, posing a significant risk to other avian species, domestic cats, and carrying a potential, though low, risk for human infection. Experts emphasize that the public must not handle any sick or deceased birds and should instead contact Operation Wildlife at 785-542-3625 for guidance on how to safely proceed.

Bird flu crisis hits KC: Operation Wildlife reports 15+ calls daily on sick ducks, geese