Dead Crows...

[jeep44]

They crows have been gone in our area for a few years now, and are just reappearing this summer. They had been an irritating pest in our small orchard,and I was not exactly sad that West Nile had apparently killed them off. Well, they're baaaaack...

 

[Frosty2]

I like calling them in and shooting them.It makes me angry to see them rob the songbirds nest in my area.The sight of a small bird chasing a crow that has a baby bird in it's mouth is enough for me to shoot them.I know it's how nature works but I like helping out the small birds.Wish West Nile would kill more of them.

 

[cowboy357]

County is not interested in the birds. They told us basically that it is well known that these birds carry West Nile and that is probably what killed them...

Great. Now if a Human or Horse dies of it, then they will investigate.

Thats hard to Believe, but not much of a surprise . I guess it depends on the countys . ANY dead birds found here they ask you to retrieve them with gloves put them in a sealed plastic bag & take them to there office for further testing . But the west niles is Pretty bad in our area . Bob

 

[jimmyj]

Geez, that's not very helpful from the county.

Do you give your horses the West Nile shots?

 

[SkyPup]

Vaccinating the horses and not venturing out at dawn or dusk would be the best thing you could do if you live in an endemic West Nile Virus geographical area.

The mosquitoes are the final vectors that spread the virus from the birds to humans and livestock.

Having two crows drop dead like that probably means the mosquitoes are transmitting it as we speak.

 

[texbaylea]

West Nile Virus is given serious respect in Brazos County and they ask for reports of dead birds with no indication of an accidental cause. I found an dead owl beside the road recently that apparently had not been hit by a car.

Having formerly lived in the Harris County/Houston area I have a distinct lack of respect of the governmental functions there. Mostly a lack of proper funding - more important to build grandiose sports facilities. Shades of the Roman Circus.

Vernon

 

[riptides]

A week or so ago my wife found a dead crow in the horse water trough. Kind of strange but not crazy.

Well yesterday there was nother one in the same trough... Now it is more than a coincidence. We do have goldfish in the water to keep the skeeters down.

Could the water be poison to these birds? The horses are fine. Are they trying to get the goldfish and drowning?

My Father in law thinks that someone in the area might be feeding them poison corn.

So, this sounds crazy, what your dealing with.

How are you to proceed without proper diagnosis of what killed them? Can you take them to another county or an independant lab for analysis?

Have you seen other dead crows, or birds in the area?

Is your county under a health warning for West Nile Virus?

Are your vets, recommending vacines, if your under threat?

Heck, it could be bird flu, and then what do you do? Unreal your county will not help.....

 

[wedge40]

We have an acitve search for these around here. Dead birds that is. But then again some horses had to be put down a few years ago.

Is the OP suppose to empty and clean the trough? I know I sure would.
I haven't shot crows in a while, but sure wish there was way to eraticate mosquitos. Could never figure out why I didn't have very many mosqitos around my house till I tore down an old barn and found a nest of about 30 or so. Felt pretty bad about it..Needless to say the mosquitos around my place have skyrocketed.

Wedge

 

[Egon]

These birds were found in the water trough. I suspect they may been young birds that drowned while getting a drink.

Aren't there some areas were rain has been pretty scarce?

 

[SkyPup]

One of the classic signs of a neurological viral encephalitis in Crows is emaciation and dehydration.....