If you find a dead crow in your yard, reporting it can help protect more than your own household. Dead-bird reports help California track where West Nile virus is active. When you report one, you’ll be told whether to save the bird for testing or dispose of it.

Why birds matter

Mosquitoes pick up West Nile virus by feeding on infected birds, then pass it on through later bites. Some birds, especially crows and jays, are hit hard by the virus. When they turn up dead, they can point to activity nearby.

What happened in Compton this year

On August 25, 2026, a crow found on the 2000 block of South Central Avenue in Compton tested positive for West Nile virus. It was the first positive bird in our district this year. After that result, we increased how often we inspect the surrounding area.

That bird told us the virus was present in a specific place. It didn’t measure the risk at every home nearby. And a dead bird doesn’t always mean West Nile. Birds die for plenty of other reasons, and not every reported bird can be tested.

One piece of a bigger picture

Bird reports work alongside our own surveillance. We set mosquito traps across the district on a regular schedule, and the mosquitoes we collect are identified by species and tested for virus. Public-health agencies add reports of human cases. Each source answers a different question: a positive bird or mosquito sample tells us the virus is here, while a human case report describes an illness that may have started earlier.

That’s also why the case numbers in the news run behind. Testing and reporting take time, so the date a case shows up in a report isn’t the date someone was bitten. The practical takeaway: keep preventing bites now, without waiting for a number to change.

Found a dead bird? Here’s what to do

Don’t touch it with bare hands. Note where it is and report it online at westnile.ca.gov/report. The online form works year-round.

Sources: Compton Creek Mosquito Abatement District; California Department of Public Health (westnile.ca.gov); U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (cdc.gov/west-nile-virus).