Avian botulism detected at California’s resurgent Tulare Lake, raising concern for migrating birds

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Avian botulism has been detected at California’s resurgent Tulare Lake, raising concerns about potential die-offs during fall bird migrations. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife said Thursday that testing confirmed the disease in a mallard duck and a white-faced ibis collected at the lake in the southern Central Valley. Crews are using airboats to collect dead and sick birds as a first step to prevent further spread of the disease. The lake reappeared this year after California was hit by an extraordinary series of atmospheric rivers. Officials say the last big avian botulism event at Tulare Lake killed about 30,000 birds in 1983, during a previous reappearance of the lake.