Avian Vacuolar Myelinopathy Avian Vacuolar Myelinopathy AVM affected Coot AVM Related Links AVM was first detected in 1994 in bald eagles at De Gray Lake in the Ouachita Mountains of southwestern Arkansas. From Thanksgiving Day 1994, when the first dead eagle was detected, to February 1995, a total of 29 eagles were collected. The birds were usually found dead, however, a few sick ones were observed.
Birds are alert and aware of their surroundings.
On necropsy, the birds were generally in good body condition with green fluid in the stomach. The only abnormality noted was the vacuolar myelinopathy neurologic lesion. American coots with difficulty flying, wobbly flight and incoordination on land were observed at De Gray, however AVM status was not determined. The following year, a single AVM eagle was collected in early March 1996 on Lake Ouachita, approximately 25 miles from De Gray Lake. All 3 lakes are within approximately 25 miles of each other.