Thousands of bird carcasses are washing up on the shores of the Great Salt Lake — Here’s why.

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Since November 2024, approximately 15,000 to 25,000 eared grebes have died along the Great Salt Lake, according to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

The culprit? Avian influenza.

“Anyone who finds a group of five or more dead waterfowl or shorebirds — or any individual dead scavengers or raptors — should report it to the nearest DWR office,” Faith Jolley with the DWR said. “Make sure you don’t touch the birds or pick them up.”

After the first dead birds were detected in November 2024, staff with DWR collected some carcasses and sent them to a lab for disease testing. Results came back positive for avian influenza in December 2024.

Jolley said about 4 million eared grebes migrate through Great Salt Lake each year, meaning the number of birds that have died “should not have a significant impact on the overall population.”

“The salinity of the Great Salt Lake almost ‘pickles’ the carcasses, so they don’t decompose or get scavenged like they would in a normal non-salt water environment,” Jolley said. “The birds will likely continue to wash ashore in the coming months.”

According to the DWR, waterfowl, shorebirds, raptors, and scavengers (such as hawks, owls, and vultures) are among the wild birds most commonly affected by highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses.

Domestic birds — like chickens, turkeys, and ducks — are highly affected by the virus as well. Fecal droppings, as well as oral and nasal discharge, can spread the virus amongst birds.

If you find five or more dead waterfowl, call 801-538-4700 or report the incident to a local DWR office (locations available online). More information about avian influenza can be found on the DWR’s website.