When there is a question regarding dead birds, the following information should be followed, depending on the type of bird.

DOMESTIC FOWL, PET BIRDS, OR EXOTIC BIRDS:

Action: Contact Arkansas Livestock & Poultry Commission at 501-907-2400 OR local veterinarian OR University of Arkansas Extension Poultry Veterinarian Dr. Dustan Clark at 479-575-4375, fdclark@uark.edu

WILD BIRDS: not a tame or pet bird; a bird not living in a captive or semi-confined setting; a bird that is considered “wildlife”

Action:

A: If the bird is a

a) Blue jay
b) Crow
c) Robin
d) Hawk
e) Owl
AND the person wants the bird tested for West Nile Virus, call the Local Health Unit.

B. All other wild birds refer to Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) Regional Wildlife Management Office Map and Phone number list to find appropriate office and phone numbers to give to caller. AGFC can only pick up dead birds for testing if the carcasses appear fresh and have not been dead more than 48 hours in cool temperatures.

C. If the person does not want to pursue this, refer to the Safe Dead Bird Disposal Instructions, which suggest doing one of the following:

a) Leave it alone
b) Bury it
c) Toss it in the woods or field away from people and animals
d) Bag it and put it in the garbage

If you are still concerned, please call one of the following persons to answer your questions:

University of Arkansas Extension Poultry Veterinarian
Dr. Dustan Clark at 479-575-4375 or
State Public Health Veterinarian
Dr. Susan Weinstein at 501-280-4136 or
Senior Epidemiologist for Public Health Preparedness
Melody Parsley at 501-280-4166

Information on Single Bird Deaths

Highly pathogenic Asian Avian Flu H5N1 (HPAI H5N1) has not been found in North America; not in humans, not in poultry and not in wild birds.

There is no reason at the present time to suspect a dead or sick wild bird in Arkansas has HPAI H5N1 as there are many, much more common reasons that wild birds are found dead or sick, especially in a backyard setting. A wild bird or several wild birds found sick or dead in an Arkansas backyard usually have fallen victim to one of the following:

1. collisions with windows
2. fungal infections from contaminated bird feed
3. ingestion of insects or plant materials contaminated with common backyard pesticides. The most common backyard toxin that kills wild birds are insecticides used to combat fleas and ticks in yards.
4. injuries sustained in attacks from domestic cats and domestic dogs.
5. injuries sustained in attacks from wild raccoons, opossums and other wild predators.
6. infection from one of many common bird diseases such as avian pox, that are easily transmissible bird-to-bird at feeders but are not transmissible to humans.
7. "old age"
8. parasite infections, including trichomoniasis, a common and often deadly infection in doves and pigeons.
9. electrocution from power lines and transformers.

Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is concerned about avian mortality events that affect large numbers of wild birds. They work with the National Wildlife Health Center, the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission Laboratory and the University of Georgia's Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study to investigate and monitor wildlife mortality events.

Safe Dead Bird Disposal
If you find a dead bird in your yard and you do not want to leave it lay where it is and let natural processes take their course, you can dispose of the bird in one of two ways: either bagging it and putting it in the trash or burying it. Use these safety precautions:

1. Avoid touching the bird with your bare hands.
2. If possible, wear disposable protective gloves when picking up and handling. If disposable gloves are not available, a plastic bag can be used as a make-shift glove. When the dead bird has been picked up, the bag can be turned back on itself and tied.
3. Place the dead bird in a suitable plastic bag, preferably leak proof. Care should be taken not to contaminate the outside of the bag.
4. Tie the bag and place it in a second plastic bag.
5. Remove gloves by turning them inside out and then place them in the second plastic bag. Tie the bag and dispose of in the normal household refuse bin
6. Hands should then be washed thoroughly with soap and water.
7. Alternatively, the dead bird can be buried, but not in a plastic bag. Bury the bird away from public areas and water sources. Cover the site to prevent animals from digging up the carcass.

Click to Enlarge Image of Dead Bird Call Tree