Indiana’s animal health authorities are bracing for another tough battle against bird flu as wild bird migration season gets underway. The Indiana State Board of Animal Health has already confirmed four fresh cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza this month, signaling what officials expect will be a difficult 2026 for the state’s poultry sector.
According to Denise Derrer Spears, the timing aligns with typical seasonal patterns. “Mid-February is about the normal time when we start seeing the wild bird migration start up, and that often coincides with our first findings early in [the season],” she explained.
The emergence of new HPAI cases during migration season raises concerns for Indiana’s poultry producers, as migrating waterfowl and other wild birds serve as primary carriers of the deadly virus that can devastate commercial flocks.
