More than 100 cackling geese found dead, Oregon officials say. What killed them?

Dozens of cackling geese died in parts of Oregon over the past month, state wildlife officials said.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said in a Thursday news release that more than 100 geese died in parts of the Willamette Valley.

“Tests show a majority of the cackling geese died from aspergillosis, a fungal infection,” the department said in the news release. “Ongoing monitoring of the outbreak and additional tests are being performed to determine if there are other associated causes of death.”

Aspergillosis is common, and it can kill wild birds if they are exposed, wildlife officials said.

“Cackling geese are the smallest species of wild goose that winter in the Willamette Valley,” Fish and Wildlife said. “They migrate thousands of miles this time of year which can lead to increased stress and susceptibility to disease.”

Wildlife officials are not certain where the cackling geese picked up the infection. But it cannot be spread between people and animals, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on its website.

This story was originally published November 9, 2020 at 12:51 PM with the headline "More than 100 cackling geese found dead, Oregon officials say. What killed them?."