Report a Dead Bird

The North American strain of West Nile Virus is lethal to several species of birds. Crows, jays, and raptors are particularly susceptible, and usually succumb to infection. Overall, the CDC reports that over 300 bird species have been found infected with West Nile virus. Finding a WNV dead bird serves as a powerful surveillance tool because it indicates that transmission may have occurred locally. We participate with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the University of California at Davis in collecting recently dead birds and testing them for WNV infection.