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Dead birds on Florida beaches have experts worried about avian flu
By Michael Dorgan
Published December 31, 2025
Dead birds have been found along Florida’s Space Coast in Central Florida, raising concerns about a possible avian flu outbreak.
While no cases have been confirmed, the nonprofit Florida Wildlife Hospital said samples of dead birds found in Brevard County were sent for testing.
The organization said large-scale migration from northern regions could be bringing the virus into the state.
Tracy Frampton, the executive director of the Florida Wildlife Hospital, told Fox 35 Orlando that migrating birds were being closely monitored.
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A dead seabird on a Brevard County beach along Florida’s Space Coast amid concerns about a possible avian flu outbreak. (Michael Shay)
"It spreads so easily, and if they bring it from up north when they come down here, it certainly is a concern. So, we always keep an eye out," Frampton said.
She said the sickness affects the brain and that neurological issues have been noted in the past. Avian flu last broke out in Florida in 2022, when thousands of birds died.
"They could not keep their head upright. They’re swimming in circles, maybe falling over, just really messed up their neurological system," Frampton said.
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A person touches a test tube labeled "Bird Flu" in this file picture illustration. (Reuters/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo)
Michael Shay, a local beachgoer, found several dead birds lying within several feet of each other on a beach last week.
"It’s very sickening, very disheartening," he said.
Shay said he saw dead pelicans, seagulls and gannets.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials told Fox Orlando that avian flu was not easily transmissible from birds to people but urged the public to avoid contact with sick or dead birds while the situation was under review.
A dead seabird lies on a beach along Florida’s Space Coast in Brevard County, where wildlife officials said bird samples were sent out for testing. (Michael Shay)
It comes as Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan held a news conference Monday to discuss the deaths of at least a dozen swans at Lake Eola Park at the downtown park in recent days. The cause remains unknown, though Sheehan speculated avian flu could be responsible.
She said the swans’ bodies are being stored so necropsies can be performed.
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Avian flu has been confirmed in poultry flocks in other parts of the country, according to federal data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, which shows nearly 2,000 flocks have tested positive nationwide since 2022.
Recent outbreaks were documented at poultry farms and backyard flocks in states including Arkansas, Kansas, Maryland, Nebraska and New York, affecting more than 128,000 birds combined.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/dead-birds-florida-beaches-have-experts-worried-about-avian-flu