Omaha peregrine falcon tests positive for bird flu

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - A peregrine falcon that recently died at the WoodmenLife Tower tested positive for bird flu.

According to Nebraska Game and Parks, the peregrine falcon that nests on Omaha’s WoodmenLife Tower died April 18 after it was observed behaving oddly.

The WoodmenLife Tower provides a live view of the falcons’ nest via webcam. The falcon that recently died was known to return to the tower yearly to lay eggs.

Nebraska Game and Parks retrieved the falcon and tested it at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Veterinary Diagnostic Center. The falcon tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).

HPAI has spread to several states this year as farmers and flock owners struggle to keep their birds safe. Nebraska Game and Parks says wild birds in Nebraska have also been seen to be affected by the disease, including several geese, a swan, two bald eagles and an American white pelican.

The peregrine falcon is a bird of prey and its diet mostly includes other birds. Nebraska Game and Parks says the falcon that died may have been exposed to HPAI by its prey.

According to Nebraska Game and Parks, sightings of sick or dead wild birds should be reported to a nearby Game and parks Office. Domestic bird HPAI sightings should be reported to the Nebraska Department of Agriculture and the USDA.

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