What If I Find A Dead Or Sick Bird?

All dead birds should be reported even though not all birds will be collected and tested.  The health department uses the data to monitor virus activity and make important public health decisions.

The health department is interested in what happens to birds because birds are the main "reservoirs" or carriers of West Nile Virus.   The virus can be spread to humans by mosquitoes that first feed on an infected bird and then bite a person.  Monitoring birds for the disease is a good way to track the spread of West Nile Virus. 

Although many kinds of birds can carry West Nile Virus, crows seem to get sick from West Nile Virus more often than some other species.  A crow is a very large, black bird, with a body length of about 15-18 inches. It has a wingspan of about three feet and a large, pointed beak about 2.5 inches long.   

There have been rare cases of West Nile Virus in persons whose occupations require them to handle live or dead birds, although mosquito-bite infection could not be ruled out in these cases.  To eliminate any risk, barehanded contact with dead animals should always be avoided. 

Never handle a dead bird with your bare hands. Protect your hands with rubber gloves or a plastic bag, or use a shovel or tool to pick up the bird. Wrap the bird in two plastic bags. Bury it or put it in a dumpster.