Dead birds have begun washing up on the shores of northern Lake Michigan again. The birds have succumbed to Avian Botulism, which caused many problems in 2008. According to the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council, “Type E botulism is a naturally occurring compound released by the "Clostridium botulinum" bacteria. Spores of the bacteria reside in the bottom sediments of the Great Lakes and many other lakes. The botulinum bacteria is harmless unless exposed to low oxygen conditions, which allows it to grow into a vegetative state that contains a toxin capable of paralyzing the muscles and respiratory systems of fish, birds and humans. The colonization of the Great Lakes by zebra and quagga mussels triggered a chain of events that unleashed the toxic strain of the botulism and pushed it up the food chain. As a result, an estimated 8,000 birds and thousands of fish died in 2008 in Lake Michigan from botulism.”

The Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council has been appointed the regional coordinator for the monitoring efforts of avian botulism in Northern Michigan. They are currently working to disseminate information regarding botulism outbreaks and coordinating volunteer monitoring to track the problem. An Avian Botulism Cleanup Kit in now available from the Watershed Council that contains all of the elements necessary to safely dispose and report on bird carcasses that have been found.

If you have questions or would like more information, please visit the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council’s website at www.watershedcouncil.org or call them at (231) 347-1181.