The Refuge participated in a statewide monitoring program for Avian Influenza, during July 2006.  Staff worked with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to collect fecal swabs from mallards and shorebirds. 

Fecal swabs for the mallard portion of the monitoring program were obtained by visiting areas where mallards were known to loaf and then collect swabs from deposited fecal matter. 

Samples were collected from a mudflat area that was created from the spoil remains of Townline ditch just to the west of the I-8/I-9 junction.  Fecal swabs for the shorebird portion of the monitoring program were obtained by capturing shorebirds in mist nets and then swabbing the cloacal area. 

The shorebirds were also weighed, banded and percent body fat was recorded.  Areas that were sampled included the northwest corner of the Redhead impoundment and the center of the I-7 impoundment.  Four other areas in Wisconsin were also included in the study.

Results of the study showed no evidence of HP H5N1 detected with testing of any of the Wisconsin wild bird samples.  Regarding the environmental (fecal) sampling, there were 20 that tested positive on the screening matrix test which indicated the presence of avian influenza, but no samples tested positive for the HP H5N1 subtype.