In nature, West Nile virus (WNv) primarily cycles between wild birds and mosquitoes. Birds contract the disease after being bitten by an infected mosquito and while many species of birds can become infected with WNv, it isn’t fatal to most. However, members of the Corvidae family, referred to as corvids, tend to be highly susceptible to the virus and die from it more often. This makes them particularly useful for monitoring the presence of the disease. Members of the Corvidae family found locally are American crows, common ravens, and Western scrub-jays. If found dead, JCVCD will accept these species from the public for WNv testing. Samples are obtained via a mouth/throat swab where the virus, if present, can generally be detected using RT-PCR testing.
If you find a dead bird….
- Avoid touching it with ungloved hands. It is fine to leave the bird where it is.
- Make your best judgement as to approximately how long the bird has been dead. If it appears the bird has been dead for more than ~24hrs (i.e. it has a foul odor, is being consumed by insects, or appears highly desiccated), it likely will not be useable.
- If the bird appears fresh and in good condition, Contact the District as soon as possible with details about the location and to arrange for a technician to pick it up. Again, our ability to quickly obtain a sample is very important!