ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Minnesota's zoos are taking steps to protect their birds from the avian influenza.

Matt Reinartz, spokesman for the Como Zoo, says the same migrating waterfowl suspected of spreading the disease in turkey farms also stop at the zoo in St. Paul.

He says they plan to wait for the heaviest migration of birds to pass before they fill the flamingo exhibits with water and let them out.

At the Minnesota Zoo, bird handlers are taking extra precautions to make sure the bird food doesn't touch the ground in case there are droppings from other birds.

The University of Minnesota's Raptor Center is focusing on making sure volunteers change clothes before they arrive and don't move organic material between the outside and inside of center.

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