Collection of dead Crows and Blue Jays for
West Nile Surveillance
The state is only testing Crows and Blue Jays for the Summer of 2004, and will limit each county to ten birds total. The Health Department will only accept birds that have no obvious cause of death such as being found crushed on roadway, or killed by gunshot. All birds must meet the following criteria for submission; should have been dead less than 48 hours, should not be decomposed, and no signs of damage by scavenging animals. Having a strong odor, eyes deflated or dried, maggots present, or bloating are all signs of decomposing animals.
The following descriptions should be used for identifying Crows and Blue Jays.
Crow
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| Crow |
Adult crows are about 17 to 21 inches in length, while juvenile
crows are about 10 inches in length, or about the length of a
person’s forearm. Juvenile crows have brownish-black
feathers. Crows are all black including feathers, beak, legs,
and feet. The crow’s nostrils are covered with bristles.
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| Juvenile Crow |
Common Grackles are one of the birds often mistaken for Crows. You can tell a grackle from other birds by their bronzish body, and bright yellow ring around the eyes. Starlings are also sometimes mistaken for crows. Starlings may have whiteish flecks in coloration or be iridescent black. The sheen is mostly green-tinted on the back, breast, and belly; mixed green and purple on the crown; and purple on the nape and throat. Following the breeding season, in late summer and fall, the yellow bill darkens to brownish gray or black in almost all birds.
The following pictures are of common Grackles, starlings and a blackbird.
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 |
 |
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| Female Grackle | Male Grackle | Starling |
Brewexs Blackbird |
These are not Crows and will not be accepted.
Blue Jay
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| Blue Jay |
Blue jays are 10 inches long, and have a black sturdy bill, and bluechest.
They have a black eyeline and breastband and a greyish-white throat and
underparts. The wings are bright blue with black bars and white patches.
Blue jays have a long blue tail with black bars and white corners and dark legs.