Bird Surveillance • Back to main WNv page Dead Bird Surveillance Handling Dead Birds

Goal of Dead Bird Surveillance:
The Health Unit's goal of "dead bird surveillance" is to minimize the impact of West Nile Virus (WNV) on public health, through the early detection of the virus in the bird population.
Sudden mortality among birds, especially crows, ravens and jays may be an early indicator of WNV in the area. The surveillance of dead birds is a vital part of monitoring WNV activity, thus providing an early warning locally.

Birds of Particular Concern:
CROW   (Corvus brachyrhynchos)	Courtesy of HVPP Zoology Page	LARGE Bird Length: 45 to 41 cm (18 -16”) Wingspan: 99 cm (39”) Weight: 450 g (1 lb) Colour: All black   Short tail, broad wings
RAVEN   (Corvus corax)	Photographer Unknown	VERY LARGE Bird Length: 61 cm (24”) Wingspan: 135 cm (53”) Weight: 1,200 g (2.6 lb) Colour: All black Long narrow wings, wedged shaped tail, heavy bill
BLUE JAY (Cyanocitta cristata)		MEDIUM-SIZED Bird Length: 28 cm (11 inches) Wingspan: 41 cm (16 inches) Weight: 85 g (3 oz) Colour: blue and gray with white and black markings

Relative Size of Birds
This picture is to help in identification of bird species by providing a comparison of size. The Common Robin would fit between the Starling and the Crow.	Picture Courtesy of Hugh Whitney
Left to Right:	Starling (SMALL)   Crow (LARGE)   Raven (VERY LARGE)

Handling Dead Birds
We urge that the public NOT handle dead birds unless directed by the Health Unit to do so for the disposal of the carcass. If it becomes necessary for a member of the public to handle a dead bird, the following precautions should be taken:

• It is unlikely that you will be infected with the West Nile Virus while handling a dead bird
• Do not touch the birds with your bare hands
• Ensure that you and your clothing do not contact the bird or its blood, secretions or feces
• Birds may be handled with heavy-duty leak-proof rubber gloves
• Grasp the bird with your hand protected by several layers of leak-proof plastic bags. Turn the bags inside-out over the bird so the bird ends up inside the bags
• Handle the bird so that neither beak nor claws puncture the bag or gloves
• After the bird is appropriately contained, wash your gloved hands and then your bare hands thoroughly once the gloves are removed
• Rotten carcasses should not be submitted for examination

Dead birds that are not submitted for examination should be buried several feet deep in a place that will not be disturbed, or double-bagged and placed in a sanitary land-fill (dump). Do not dispose of them in such a manner that they will be handled by other people. Please refer to the above procedures for handling the dead carcass.