Recently, the City of League City received reports of multiple Muscovy ducks found dead near an apartment complex located off Davis Road. After receiving these reports, the City contacted Texas Parks and Wildlife, who investigated the incident and has determined that the ducks died as a result of a duck plague known as “DVE”.
According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, Muscovy Ducks are feral, non-migratory ducks and the most common “type” of waterfowl to have a DVE die-off. Muscovy ducks are also very susceptible to this virus.
Texas Parks and Wildlife specialists would like residents to know the following:
1) DVE isnot spread to humans;
2) Cleanup/decontamination usually involves euthanizing the entire flock because it is impossible to detect an infected bird not showing symptoms (professionals should be the only ones doing this type of clean up, and not local citizens);
3) The disease is spread by ingestion, so dumping out any water or food that is being fed to ducks is important to prevent spreading the infection to other ducks.
The links below can provide more information on DVE.
https://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/disease_information/other_diseases/duck_plague.jsp
https://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/publications/field_manual/chapter_16.pdf
For additional questions or concerns about this disease and how it’s spread, please contact Urban Biologist Kelly Norrid with Texas Parks and Wildlife at 281-456-7029.
To make a report, contact the Texas Parks and Wildlife Communications Office at 512-389-4848.