"Ingesting plastic is leaving seabird chicks with brain damage “akin to Alzheimer’s disease”, according to a new study – adding to growing evidence of the devastating impact of plastic pollution on marine wildlife."
"The Interior Department has suspended a legal opinion that held companies liable for accidentally killing ducks, cranes, pelicans, owls and hundreds of other bird species."
"With egg prices spiking due to bird flu, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced steps last week to control the H5N1 virus, such as increasing financial relief for farmers with affected flocks and exploring vaccines and therapeutics for chickens. While these steps might help stabilize the egg supply in the short term, they’re insufficient for one simple reason: Chickens are not the only animals affected by this disease."
"A federal hold on funding could upend a novel approach to preventing mosquitoes from sending a number of Hawaiian bird species into extinction."
"The nation’s biggest egg producer has seen rising revenues and profits. Now some Democrats are calling for an investigation into pricing practices in the industry."
"Rats in Riverside County are the latest mammal species to be infected with H5N1 bird flu. Identification of virus in rats raises concerns about potential infection pathways to people and their pets"
"The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Tuesday that, over the weekend, it accidentally fired "several" agency employees who are working on the federal government's response to the H5N1 avian flu outbreak. The agency said it is now trying to quickly reverse the firings."
"A scientific report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published Thursday shows some veterinarians who provide care for cattle were unknowingly infected with the H5N1 avian influenza virus last year. ... The report is one of three about bird flu that were scheduled to be published three weeks ago in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). But the scientific publication was abruptly suspended when the Trump administration instructed federal health agencies to pause all external communications on Jan. 21."
"In the U.S., bird flu is spreading rapidly on poultry and dairy farms—and data censorship could pose risks to combating it, experts say."
"The data, which appeared fleetingly online on Wednesday, confirmed transmission in two households. Scientists called on the agency to release the full report."
