Bird Flu Suspected as Dead Geese Found Across New Jersey Parks

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Numerous dead and dying geese have been discovered at multiple parks across New Jersey in recent days, prompting officials to suspect an outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus, also known as bird flu. The Monmouth County Park System is working with state wildlife biologists to assess the extent of the potential outbreak, while other counties like Somerset and Burlington have also reported finding deceased geese in their local parks.

Why it matters

Bird flu outbreaks can pose a serious threat to domestic poultry populations and have the potential to spread to humans, making prompt identification and containment critical. The discovery of the dead geese across several New Jersey parks suggests the virus may be spreading through the state's wild bird populations, raising concerns about the potential impact on both wildlife and nearby farms.

The details

Officials have not confirmed the exact cause of the geese deaths, but the Monmouth County Park System stated that avian flu is suspected. Dead or sick geese have been found in parks in Monmouth, Somerset, Burlington, and Gloucester counties. The state Department of Environmental Protection has warned that the bird flu virus can be carried by wild birds like ducks, gulls, and shorebirds, even if they show no signs of illness, and can be deadly to domestic poultry.

• The Monmouth County Park System issued a statement on Tuesday, February 17, 2026 about the suspected bird flu outbreak.
• Dead geese were found in recent days at parks in Somerset, Burlington, and Gloucester counties.

What they’re saying

What’s next

Officials are asking the public to report any sightings of sick or dead birds to the state's hotline at 877-WARN-DEP, as they continue to investigate the extent of the suspected bird flu outbreak across New Jersey's parks.