Can I become infected with avian influenza virus by cleaning a bird feeder?
There is no evidence of highly pathogenic H5N1 yet in birds or people in the United States. Generally, perching birds (Passeriformes) are the predominate type of birds at feeders. While there are documented cases of H5N1 causing death in some Passeriformes (e.g., House Sparrow, Eurasian Tree-Sparrow, House Finch) in Asia/Europe, most of the wild birds that are traditionally associated with avian influenza viruses are waterfowl and shorebirds.
