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MILWAUKEE (AP) — An owl found dead in northeastern Wisconsin is the first wild bird in the state to test positive for a bird flu strain that has swept through poultry farms in the Midwest.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says the snowy owl died from the H5N2 virus, the same strain that has hit 10 farms in Wisconsin, affecting nearly 1.8 million chickens and turkeys in the state.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports (http://bit.ly/1IV6CXx ) the finding is significant because it marks the first time the disease has been detected in Wisconsin outside of a farm.
Tami Ryan, wildlife health section chief for the DNR, says the snowy owl was found dead in mid-April near a breakwater on Green Bay in the city of Oconto. There were no nearby poultry operations.
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Information from: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, http://www.jsonline.com
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