Please look through the instructions below first to clear up any questions you may have before filling out form.

Click here to fill out reporting form for observation of sick or dead wildlife

 (Use this form to report all species of birds and mammals found sick or dead.)

Instructions on Using the On-Line Reporting Form:

• Can I submit corvids (crows, blue jays and ravens)?
• Help with identification of corvids.
• Can I submit other bird species (non-corvids) and mammals?
• Help with general bird identification.
• How to collect a specimen.
• How to dispose of a dead bird or mammal.
• Purpose of web-based reporting form.
• Domestic animals (horses, livestock, pets).
• Questions about using the form.

Can I Submit Corvids (crows, blue jays, and ravens)?

Due to funding constraints, most local Health Departments no longer are able to accept corvids for WNV testing. A few local health jurisdictions may continue to collect birds for WNV testing if local funding allows. Please see the County Health Department Contact List for your county's information. The DNR will accept birds for gross (visual) examination as to cause of death, but due to funding constraints, additional testing, including WNV testing, will not be routinely performed.  Birds must be recently dead (within the last 48 hours) with no evidence of decompostion (noxious odor; presence of small white fly larvae (maggots) or predator trauma). See the DNR Wildlife Field Office list to find the nearest office to drop off a bird. Please call before taking any birds to an office.

Help with Crow family bird identification

Crow family identification page

Birds Commonly Mistaken for Corvids:

• Red-Winged Blackbird- Male is black with reddish-orange shoulder stripe.
• Brown-headed cowbird- Male has metallic green/black body with brown head.
• Common Grackle- Male appears all black, but has iridescent purple head, neck and breast, pale yellow eyes, common throughout Michigan.
• European Starling- Black with iridescent green and purple, has white spots on head and body which are most evident during fall.
• Brewer's Blackbird- This bird is rare in Michigan and the Common Grackle is often mistaken as Brewer's Blackbird. Male is black, with iridescent purple around head and neck, iridescent green on body and wings; eyes are yellow, Michigan summer breeding range is Western UP and Northern Lower, rare but may be seen south of range in Spring.

Can I Submit Other Bird Species (not crows, blue jays or ravens) and Mammals?

The DNR will accept birds for gross (visual) examination as to cause of death, but due to funding constraints, additional testing, including WNV testing, will not be routinely performed. Birds must be recently dead (within the last 48 hours) with no evidence of decompostion (noxious odor; presence of small white fly larvae (maggots) or predator trauma). See the DNR Wildlife Field Office list to find the nearest office to drop off a bird. Please call before taking any birds to an office.

Help with general bird identification

• Cornell University On-Line Bird Guide
• Great Backyard Bird Count On-line Guide
• USGS Patuxent Bird Identification Center
• eNature.com On-line Bird Field Guide

How to Collect a Specimen (Dead Bird or Mammal) for Testing

If you are interested and willing to collect the animal for examination, please use disposable gloves to put the specimen in a double plastic bag. Most diseases are not transmitted by direct contact with dead birds or mammals. However, to reduce the risk of transmission of diseases, always avoid bare-handed contact when handling dead animals. If disposable gloves are not available, you may turn a plastic shopping bag inside out and scoop up the specimen with the bag and then invert the bag with the bird still inside. Please maintain the specimen at refrigerated temperatures. It is o.k. to freeze the specimen. If you feel uncomfortable refrigerating the specimen, you may also keep it in a cooler or other container, surrounded by ice. However, it is important to make sure that the specimen remains dry. You will be responsible for getting the bird to a acceptable location. Personnel are not available to pick-up birds all across the state.

How to Dispose of a Dead Bird or Mammal

A dead bird or mammal should be buried or disposed of in your garbage. Always avoid bare-handed contact when handling dead animals. If disposable gloves are not available, you may turn a plastic shopping bag inside out and scoop up the specimen with the bag and then invert the bag with the bird still inside.

Purpose of Web-based Reporting Form

The web-based reporting of dead or sick birds and mammals allows for rapid reporting of dead bird and mammal sightings. Although testing of birds for WNV is now very restricted, information about dead bird sightings will continue to be important.  Calculations of the number of dead corvids reported per square mile in a county can be used to estimate the level of risk for human infection in that area.  Communities can use this information to target their intervention and prevention strategies to areas where WNV activity is highest. Reports of dead birds and mammals also remains important as it will be used to detect trends, over time, to determine a normal baseline wildlife mortality figure.

The data generated from the reporting form is used to create and maintain up-to-date tables on the website. These tables show, by species and by county, the number of animals reported and are updated on a daily basis. The information from the form is also used to update our surveillance maps with the numbers of corvids reported by zip code. On-line reports also help us generate tables showing corvid mortality on a week-by-week basis by county. Sick or dead animal reports can be submitted year round.

Domestic animals (horses, livestock, pets)

If you would like to report a case of WNV in domestic animals (horses, livestock, pets), please contact the Michigan Department Agriculture at (517) 373-1077.

Questions about using the form

• Contact Melinda at (517) 336-5030 if you have any questions about entering your information.