More than 1,000 birds died at a lake in Southern California earlier this month, state wildlife officials announced Tuesday. The birds – primarily migratory water fowls such as Ruddy Ducks, Northern Shovelers, Black-necked Stilts and Gulls – died at the Salton Sea after contracting a contagious bacterial disease known as avian cholera, which is caused by the bacterium Pasteurella multocida, the California Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW) said in a statement. The birds were found dead at the south end of the lake, which is located in the desert near the Mexican border and is a usual stop for migrating birds. Avian cholera is spread through direct contact or from contaminated food or water. In total, the California DFW said officials with the department and those with the Sonny Bono National Wildlife Refuge collected more than 1,200 bird carcasses.

Source: Fox News January 23, 2019 20:03 UTC