Start spreading the virus? How crane migration is impacting avian influenza

MINDEN, Neb. — Sandhill crane migration is in full swing.

It’s one of Nebraska’s spectacles. Over hundreds of thousands of sandhill cranes will migrate through central Nebraska and have already started.

The Crane Trust reported observing an estimated 580,000 Sandhill Cranes between Chapman and Overton last week. However, with avian influenza cases continuing to rise, researchers are now saying we need to be cautious.

“There is the possibility that these birds could contract HPAI or Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza,” said Amanda Hegg, Rowe Sanctuary Senior Conservation Associate.

That’s because in Indiana an estimated 1,500 sandhill cranes died from the bird flu according to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

“The bird deaths in Indiana were birds of a different population,” Hegg said.

There have been no reported crane deaths in Nebraska so far, but central Nebraska is considered the pinch point of the Central Flyway.

According to The Nature Conservancy, nearly 80% of all sandhill cranes in North America migrate through the 75-mile stretch of Nebraska’s Platte River Channel.

Like one big gathering.

“We’re estimating that there are over one million birds in that population the population is doing great. It’s slowly increasing and so we’re not as concerned if it’s a small percentage of the population of sandhill cranes However, whooping cranes there’s only 530-some whooping cranes that fly through this area,” Hegg said.

According to farmers, the bird flu continues to haunt them.

“Avian influenza is kind of a huge threat in the poultry industry There are many operations that all in all have to be euthanized because of avian influenza and I think last year the overall mortality rate from avian influenza alone was 8.1 million birds,” said Kade Kosmicki, Hall County Junior Poultry Superintendent.

Kosmicki told us about a study conducted by APHIS from April to June of 2024. He added that the agency tested over 5,000 birds and none of the results came back positive for the B3.13 genotype.

“Which is the highest lethality rate of all and less than 1% had any other high pathogenic genotypes such as H5N1, so having the sandhill cranes come through here does not make me any nervous or concern me,” Kosmicki said. “There have been entire operations I do know in Iowa there was an operation there that lost all I think it was 700,000 of their layer birds because of avian influenza particularly genotype B3.13.”

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources mentioned that this is a cold weather virus, and we can expect to see fewer cases as the weather continues to warm up. We will continue to monitor this situation and update you with the latest information.