La Crosse, Wis. Wildlife pathologists from the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wis., have diagnosed intestinal parasites, known as trematodes, or flukes, as the cause of a die-off of coots and lesser scaup currently o

Similar die-offs have occurred on Onalaska, near La Crosse,
Wis., and Dresbach, Minn., each spring and fall since the fall of
2002. Last fall, almost 3,050 dead birds were found and total
mortality was estimated at 6,300-7,000. To date, about 350 dead
birds have been found this fall. No human health threats have been
documented from handling or consuming waterfowl infected with these
parasites, but hunters should not harvest or consume any
sick-looking birds.

For more information, or to report finding sick or dead coots
and waterfowl in areas other than Lake Onalaska, contact the USGS
office in La Crosse at (608) 783-8405.