Hundreds of wild bird deaths reported across seven counties, prompting park closures Officials suspect bird flu killed more than 1,100 wild birds, mostly Canada geese Hundreds of geese have reportedly died in New Jersey, and bird flu is suspected to be the culprit. More than 1,100 dead or sick wild birds " almost all of them Canada geese " were reported between Feb. 14 and Feb. 16 across seven counties, according to New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).