Kansas Hit With Bird Flu Outbreak

Over 413,000 Kansas birds have been impacted by a bird flu outbreak across the nation at the beginning of 2026. Kansas is one of the hardest-hit stations by the flu, with the state suffering from the nation’s largest current outbreak of highly pathogenic bird flu according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Bird flu, formally known as HPAI (highly pathogenic avian influenza), is spread mainly through wild birds migrating across the country from birds like snow geese and Canada geese.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, symptoms of bird flu can include diarrhea, lack of coordination, nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing, low energy, reduced egg production and sudden death.

Multiple poultry operations are under KDA quarantine in Kansas for the early part of 2026, and the counties with quarantined operations are as follows:

• Pottawatomie County

• Greenwood County

• Nemaha County

• Anderson County

• Pratt County

Bird flu can also infect humans, with a bird flu death occurring last January.