In the very heart of Madrid, forest service workers have faced an unusual situation in recent weeks: hundreds of dead storks have been collected in the area surrounding the capital. Just in the past 24 hours, more than a hundred have been found. Regional authorities have officially confirmed four separate outbreaks of bird flu among wild birds.
These events are unfolding against a sharp increase in bird flu cases across Europe. This season, the virus is proving particularly aggressive, affecting not only storks but also other migratory bird species. Madrid authorities note that so far, none of the region’s commercial poultry farms have been affected, and no threat to humans has been reported.
Safety measures
Teams are working in enhanced mode to prevent the spread of infection. All discovered bird carcasses are immediately removed and disposed of in accordance with strict sanitary regulations. Special attention is being paid to preventing contact between wild and domestic birds to minimize the risk of the virus reaching farms.
The storks dying in large numbers in Madrid fly in from northern Europe. Experts believe they have become carriers of the dangerous virus. In recent years, bird flu has already led to the culling of millions of domestic birds worldwide, causing disruptions in meat supply and driving food prices up. However, human infections remain extremely rare.
The situation in Europe
This year’s seasonal outbreak began earlier than usual. The peak typically occurs in autumn, when birds migrate south, but this time the virus emerged already at the start of fall. Crane populations migrating through Deutschland, France, and España have been particularly hard hit, as well as numerous species of waterfowl.
According to European veterinary services, from early September to late November, nearly three thousand cases of highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza—mostly the H5N1 strain—were detected across 29 European countries. Of these, more than two thousand cases involved wild birds, while around four hundred were found in domestic poultry.
Risks to humans
Despite the large-scale losses among birds, experts emphasize that there is currently no threat to human health. No cases of bird-to-human transmission have been recorded in España. Miguel Higueras Ortega, Head of Forest Operations in Madrid, notes that the situation is under control and all necessary measures are being taken without delay.
Ecologists and ornithologists are closely monitoring developments to assess potential environmental impacts. So far, the outbreaks do not pose a serious threat to the region’s ecosystem, but experts caution that if the virus continues to spread, the situation could change.
