The Dead Bird Hotline is Now Open for 2019
Dead birds are often the first sign of West Nile virus in Contra Costa County. That is why the District needs your help. If you see a dead bird on your property or in your neighborhood, report the dead bird. Call the California Dead Bird Hotline, which is now available for 2019, at 1-877-968-2473 (1-877-WNV-BIRD) or you can report the bird online.
In Contra Costa County, birds including jays, ravens and crows are particularly susceptible to West Nile virus and often die if infected with the virus.
What To Expect When You Call the Hotline to Report a Dead Bird
- The Hotline operator will record your report to determine whether the bird is a candidate for testing.
- If the bird is a candidate for testing*, a District employee will pick up the bird from the reported location and bring it back to the District to be submitted to UC Davis for testing.
- The District employee will leave information at the front door including the date and time of pick up and a bird identification number.
- If the bird tests positive for West Nile virus, a District employee will call to notify you as soon as test results become available. You can also find positive results on the District website.
- The District maps all dead bird reports.
- A District employee may place a mosquito trap at or near the location of your report. *Not all birds are candidates for testing due to species, condition or amount of decay.
All reports are important, even if the bird cannot be picked up for testing. In some cases, the District may not have staff available to pick up a dead bird or the bird is missing when we arrive. Sometimes an animal has taken the bird or a person has removed the bird. Even in those cases, your report is very important because it provides the District with information that helps us target our surveillance and control efforts to reduce the risk of West Nile virus for you and your neighbors.
5 comments
Yeah so when you call the county about a dead animal they don’t seem to respond there’s been a dead cat on Sand Creek Road for 2 years now. At the time I called for two weeks every other day and then never came out this is what our taxes pay for
Maybe show some initiative and pick it up yourself?
You don’t pick up a dead animal yourself. The county needs to do their job and dispose of an animal properly. Two years is ridiculous.
We might soon have a dead bird in my neighborhood. Seems that a mockingbird keeps dive-bombing our cat every time the cat is fed outdoors (which is what he prefers). One of these days, that cat will get that bird and then I’ll call the Dead Bird Hotline.
That’s funny! I myself have been dive-bombed by mockingbirds as well. Carrying a sun-brella (not one meant for rain protection) sure helps fend them off. Our cats are now strictly indoor cats because of such attacks.
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