Report a Dead Bird

Certain dead birds help us monitor the presence of West Nile virus in the county. Help keep West Nile virus activity low by reporting dead birds you find.

When reporting dead birds, please provide the following

• Location of bird (address and/or intersection) 
• Description of bird (color, size, species) 
• Date found and condition of the bird (intact, run over)  

Birds to report

• American Crow: 17” long, small straight, sharp bill 
• Common Raven: 22” - 27” long, large, thick, curved bill 
• Western Scrub Jay: 11” long, blue head, back, and tail, gray belly 
• For a full list of birds accepted for testing, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  

How to safely handle and dispose of dead birds

• A hotline operator will let you know if the bird is no longer good for testing. 
• Do not touch dead birds with bare hands or clothing. 
• Wear gloves or use double heavy-duty plastic bags. 
• Place your hand inside the bag. 
• Grab the bird and turn the bag inside out. 
• Tie or zip the first plastic bag closed and then double bag the bird. 
• Close the outer bag. 
• Either discard bagged bird in a trash container or secure it for pickup at a location away from children and animals. 
• Wash your hands with soap after disposal. 
• If you wore gloves, wash while they are on, then throw them away. Then wash your hands. 

Report a dead bird