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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallKeep your distance, keep children and pets away, and do not touch or move the bird. Report a sick, dead, or unusually behaving wild bird to your state or local wildlife agency or health department and follow its instructions. If you cannot find a local reporting route, contact your state veterinarian or call the U.S. Department of Agriculture at 1-866-536-7593.
A bird’s appearance cannot confirm or rule out highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI, often called bird flu). Some wild birds can carry the virus without looking ill, so report useful observations without approaching the animal.
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What to do first
- Back away and establish a buffer. Do not handle a sick, dead, or abnormal-acting wild bird. Keep children, dogs, cats, and other pets away from the site.
- Do not transport the carcass. Leave it where it is unless the receiving wildlife or public-health authority specifically instructs you to move it.
- Record details from a safe distance. Note the exact location, date, approximate number of affected birds, species if you know it, and visible signs such as unusual behavior or multiple deaths. Do not delay a report to obtain a close photograph.
- Contact the local authority. Start with your state wildlife agency or health department. Their current instructions determine whether a carcass will be collected, tested, or left in place.
- Use the federal backup route when necessary. CDC identifies your state veterinarian or USDA’s toll-free number, 1-866-536-7593, for sick birds, other animals, or unusual deaths.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says: “Report mortalities in wild birds and mammals to your state wildlife management agency immediately so that die-offs can be investigated and tested for avian influenza.”
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Why a healthy-looking bird can still matter
Wild birds do not have to look sick to carry HPAI. Conversely, many conditions other than avian influenza can cause weakness, injury, or death. A passerby cannot diagnose the cause by sight, and a photograph is not a substitute for agency assessment. Report what you observed rather than labeling the bird as infected.
Useful observations include whether one bird or a group is affected, whether deaths are clustered in one place, and whether birds show difficulty standing, swimming, flying, or responding normally. Keep your description factual and avoid approaching to “check” the bird.
CDC’s wild-bird situation summary is available at https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/situation-summary/wildbirds.html.
Which agency should you call?
Reporting routes and operating hours differ by state and locality. Use the current instructions on the agency’s website or telephone line before taking any action with the animal.
| Channel | Best fit | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| State wildlife agency or wildlife-management agency | Dead or sick wild birds and mammals, especially multiple deaths or a die-off | Whether the agency wants an exact location, photographs, an online form, or a phone report; whether staff collect or test carcasses |
| Local or state health department | Potential human exposure, public-health concerns, or local instructions for a carcass in a populated area | Which local office handles wildlife reports and what to do after unprotected contact |
| State veterinarian or state animal-health official | Suspected infection in domestic, captive, farmed, or other managed animals | Whether the animal is under veterinary or agricultural jurisdiction and how it should be isolated |
| USDA | Federal alternative when you cannot reach the appropriate state contact or when unusual animal deaths need escalation | Call 1-866-536-7593 and provide the location, species if known, number of animals, and circumstances |
These channels are not interchangeable in every state. A wildlife agency may handle a wild-bird mortality while a health department handles a human-exposure question; a state veterinarian generally handles domestic or captive animals. Confirm the current jurisdiction rather than assuming the nearest office will collect the bird.
CDC’s prevention guidance says local and state policies determine whether a carcass is collected or tested: https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/prevention/index.html.
How reporting systems vary locally
There is no single nationwide form or response schedule for every wild bird. Before submitting a report, check whether the agency accepts reports by phone, online form, email, or a wildlife-mortality hotline; whether it asks for an exact address or map pin; and whether photographs are optional or required. Also check operating hours and instructions for reports made outside those hours. A local agency may collect only certain species, only groups of dead birds, or carcasses in locations where staff can safely reach them.
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How to make a useful report without approaching
Capture the location
Give a street address, park name, trail marker, GPS pin, or another description that lets staff find the site. If the bird is on private property, say so and provide a safe access point if you can do that without going closer.
Describe what you saw
- Date and approximate time of the observation
- Number of sick, dead, or abnormal birds
- Species or a plain-language description if you are unsure
- Visible signs, such as inability to fly, swimming in circles, tremors, or multiple carcasses together
- Whether pets, livestock, or people may have contacted the animal
Photographs are optional, not a reason to take risks
Only take a photograph from a safe distance if the local reporting system requests or accepts one. Do not walk into vegetation, water, or a nesting area, and never move the bird to improve the picture. An exact location and clear written description are more important than a close-up image.
Keep the report factual
State what you saw and what you did not see. For example, “three dead waterfowl beside the north trail at 9 a.m.” is more useful than “confirmed H5N1.” Do not guess at a diagnosis, and do not wait to identify a species precisely. If you can safely observe from a distance, note whether more birds arrive, whether a live bird can stand or fly, and whether deaths are continuing. These observations can help staff decide whether a broader die-off investigation is warranted.
Can you move a dead bird for testing?
Do not move or transport it unless the authority or receiving facility tells you to do so. Collection and testing criteria vary by jurisdiction, and an agency may decide that a carcass should remain undisturbed. Transporting it can expose you, contaminate a vehicle or household, and interfere with the agency’s preferred handling process.
California illustrates this variation: its Department of Fish and Wildlife asks the public to report dead wild birds through its wildlife-mortality system and to contact a wildlife rehabilitation center, veterinary clinic, or other animal facility before transporting a potentially sick bird. The state’s instructions are at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Laboratories/Wildlife-Health/Monitoring/HPAI. Other states may use a different form, accept only selected species, or decline individual carcasses. Follow your own state’s current directions.
What if the bird is domestic, captive, or on a farm?
For poultry, pet birds, zoological collections, rehabilitation facilities, or other managed animals, contact a veterinarian or your state animal-health official. Keep the animal separated from other animals only if you can do so without handling a potentially infected bird; ask the veterinarian or animal-health authority for specific instructions.
Wildlife agencies and animal-health authorities may have different reporting systems. Tell the official whether the animal is privately owned, captive, part of a flock, or free-ranging so your report reaches the correct program.
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Is it safe to pick up a bird that might have bird flu?
The safest choice is not to pick it up. CDC recommends avoiding unprotected exposure to sick or dead animals. Do not touch the bird, feathers, droppings, surrounding material, or contaminated surfaces while waiting for instructions.
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If close contact cannot be avoided and an authority directs you to handle the animal, CDC’s interim recommendations list properly fitted safety goggles, disposable gloves, boots or boot covers, disposable fluid-resistant coveralls, and a NIOSH-approved particulate respirator such as an N95 filtering facepiece. The full guidance is at https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/prevention/hpai-interim-recommendations.html?CDC_AAref_Val=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fflu%2Favianflu%2Fhpai%2Fhpai-interim-recommendations.html. Protective equipment reduces exposure risk; it does not make untrained collection advisable.
If you touched the bird without protection
- Move away from the animal and avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.
- Wash exposed skin thoroughly with soap and water. Clean hands before touching other people, pets, food, or household surfaces.
- Tell the wildlife agency or health department that unprotected contact occurred, including when and how it happened.
- Monitor yourself for illness and contact a clinician or public-health department promptly if symptoms develop. Tell them about the animal exposure before or during the appointment.
CDC advises prompt medical evaluation after illness following an exposure. A clinician may consider influenza testing and antiviral treatment, while public-health staff can advise on monitoring and any follow-up. Do not wait for a laboratory result from the bird before seeking care if you become ill.
If exposure involved a child, explain exactly what was touched and when, and contact the child’s clinician or health department for individualized advice. Do not attempt to collect a swab or save feathers for testing. The agency deciding whether testing is appropriate will give the collection instructions.
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Protecting pets and other animals
Keep dogs and cats on a leash or indoors around a carcass, flock, shoreline, or other area where sick birds are present. Prevent pets from mouthing or carrying birds and from drinking contaminated water. If a pet has contact with a sick or dead bird, call a veterinarian and describe the exposure; do not handle the bird yourself to retrieve it.
For livestock, poultry, or captive birds, ask the attending veterinarian or state animal-health official about separation, cleaning, and reporting. Those instructions can differ from advice for free-ranging wildlife.
What happens after you report?
The receiving authority may ask for a precise location, additional observations, or a photograph taken from a distance. It may collect a selected carcass, arrange testing, refer you to another office, or decide that no collection is needed. Those decisions reflect local surveillance priorities, available staff, species, the number of deaths, and the condition of the carcass.
Ask the official:
- Whether you should leave the bird exactly where it is
- Whether anyone will collect it and during what hours
- Whether the agency wants photographs or other documentation
- How to report additional deaths at the same location
- What to do if a person or pet had contact
Do not infer that no immediate collection means the report was ignored. Agencies use their own criteria to prioritize investigations and testing. If the carcass disappears before staff arrive, report that change rather than searching for it or handling remaining material. If more birds die, submit an update with the new count and location.
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| Situation | Action |
|---|---|
| One dead bird in a yard | Keep people and pets away, do not handle it, and check your state wildlife agency’s current reporting instructions. |
| Several dead birds in a park, pond, or shoreline | Leave the area, note the exact location and number from a distance, and report the mortality promptly to the state wildlife agency. |
| A live bird is weak or behaving abnormally | Do not chase or capture it. Report the location and behavior and ask whether a responder or permitted rehabilitator should intervene. |
| A child or pet touched the bird | Stop further contact, wash exposed skin or paws as appropriate, notify the health department or veterinarian, and report the wildlife mortality. |
| A bird is inside a building or vehicle | Keep people and pets out of the space and call the local wildlife authority or animal-control service for handling instructions rather than attempting capture. |
| A captive or farm bird is ill | Contact a veterinarian or state animal-health official; do not use a wild-bird reporting route as a substitute. |
What not to do
- Do not pick up a carcass with bare hands, gloves alone, or a plastic bag used as an improvised glove.
- Do not put a suspected bird-flu carcass in household trash, a freezer, or your vehicle unless an authority specifically directs that procedure.
- Do not wash, pluck, feed, or release a sick bird.
- Do not allow children or pets to investigate the site.
- Do not assume a bird is safe because it looks normal or because only one bird is affected.
- Do not delay reporting while trying to identify the species or obtain a close photograph.
- Do not enter water, dense vegetation, or a nesting area to reach the bird.
- Do not bring a potentially contaminated object, shoe, leash, or vehicle into contact with pets or household surfaces if you can avoid it; ask the relevant authority or veterinarian for cleaning instructions.
Frequently asked questions
What do I do if I find a dead wild bird?
Keep away, keep children and pets away, note the location and number of birds from a distance, and contact your state wildlife agency or health department. Do not touch, bag, bury, or transport the carcass unless an authority directs you to.
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Who do I call for a sick bird near me?
Start with the state wildlife or wildlife-management agency for a free-ranging wild bird. A health department can advise about human exposure. For a domestic, captive, farmed, or rehabilitation bird, call a veterinarian or state animal-health official. CDC also lists your state veterinarian and USDA at 1-866-536-7593.
How do I report H5N1 wildlife?
You do not need to prove that the bird has H5N1. Report the observed illness, death, or unusual behavior through the appropriate state channel, with the exact location, date, number of birds, species if known, and any possible human or pet contact.
Can I move a dead bird for testing?
Usually, no. Leave it in place until the receiving agency or facility tells you whether collection or testing is wanted and explains how to proceed. Rules differ by state and by species.
Is it safe to pick up a bird that might have bird flu?
The safest answer is no. Avoid unprotected contact. If an authority says handling cannot be avoided, follow its instructions and CDC’s listed PPE recommendations, including eye protection, disposable gloves, protective clothing, boots or boot covers, and a NIOSH-approved N95-type respirator.
What if the bird looks healthy?
Appearance does not rule out infection. Some wild birds can carry HPAI without visible illness, so do not handle a seemingly healthy bird or assume a single death is harmless.
What if a child or pet touched it?
Stop further contact, wash exposed skin, and contact the child’s clinician, health department, or veterinarian for advice. Report the wildlife mortality and explain the exposure. Do not pick up the bird to remove it.
Should I send a photo?
Only if the local system accepts or requests one, and take it from a safe distance. Never approach, move, or disturb the bird to improve the image. A precise location and written observations may be more useful than a close photograph.
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What if no one answers the local phone?
Check the agency’s current website for operating hours, an online form, or another listed contact. If you still cannot identify the right route, contact your state veterinarian or USDA at 1-866-536-7593. Keep the site undisturbed while awaiting instructions.
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Official contacts and guidance
- CDC: Preventing Bird Flu Infections — reporting routes, exposure prevention, and the USDA number.
- CDC: Wild-bird situation summary — why apparently healthy wild birds can still carry HPAI.
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Avian Influenza — recommendation to report wild-bird and mammal mortalities to state wildlife authorities.
- CDC interim recommendations — PPE and steps after unprotected exposure.
There is no single nationwide figure that tells you the probability that any one reported wild bird has avian flu. The practical decision is therefore based on safe distance, prompt local reporting, and the authority’s instructions for that location and species.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I do if I find a dead wild bird?
Keep people and pets away, do not touch or move the bird, and report the location to your state wildlife agency or health department. Follow that agency’s collection instructions.
Who do I call for a sick bird near me?
Call the state wildlife agency for a free-ranging wild bird. For domestic or captive animals, contact a veterinarian or state animal-health official. CDC also lists the state veterinarian or USDA at 1-866-536-7593.
Can I move a dead bird for testing?
Do not transport it unless the receiving authority specifically tells you to. Collection and testing rules vary by jurisdiction.
Is it safe to pick up a bird that might have bird flu?
No. Avoid unprotected contact. If an authority directs unavoidable handling, use the CDC-listed PPE and follow its instructions.
How do I report H5N1 wildlife?
Report the observed illness, death, or unusual behavior through the appropriate state channel. Provide the exact location, date, number of birds, species if known, and any human or pet contact.
What if a child or pet touched the bird?
Stop contact, wash exposed skin, notify a clinician, health department, or veterinarian, and report the wildlife mortality. Do not handle the bird yourself.
Should I send a photograph?
Only when the local reporting system requests or accepts one, and only from a safe distance. Never move the bird to take a better picture.
What if the bird looks healthy?
Appearance cannot rule out HPAI. Some wild birds carry the virus without visible illness, so continue to avoid contact and report unusual deaths or behavior.
The Bottom Line
Stay back, keep children and pets away, and leave the bird where it is. Report the location and observations to your state wildlife agency or health department, use your state veterinarian or USDA at 1-866-536-7593 if needed, and follow local instructions about collection, testing, photographs, and exposure follow-up.
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