Jan. 22, 2026 - The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have detected a case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1 HPAI) in mixed species flock in Kossuth County, Iowa. The flock includes game bird pheasants and backyard chickens. This is Iowa’s first detection of H5N1 HPAI within domestic birds in 2026.