BELLEVILLE, Ill. (AP) – State wildlife officials suspect that bird flu killed at least 300 waterfowl recently found dead at public hunting sites across southern Illinois. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources said Tuesday the wild birds, mostly snow geese, have been found dead at Baldwin Lake, Pyramid State Recreation Area, Rend Lake and Carlyle Lake. The DNR says the wild birds are believed to have died of avian influenza. The Belleville News-Democrat reports the bird deaths come as a nationwide bird flu outbreak that’s hit mostly chickens and turkeys on commercial farms has already prompted the slaughter of more than 52 million birds at farms in 46 states.