This page helps guide you to appropriate action when you find sick, injured, or dead animals or baby animals.
Wildlife Care Resources
Wildlife Care Resources
The linked document to the right lists the local services available to treat injured or sick wild animals. Unfortunately, there are no services available on Whidbey Island. If you find an injured or sick animal you believe should receive care, contact one of the services listed.
Avian Flu Outbreak - 2022
Dead Snow Goose
Photo courtesy of Kersti Muul
November 2022: There is currently an outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) or simply, Avian Influenza. Juvenile snow geese have so far been the most susceptible to infection. Locally, sick and dead birds have been seen on Skagit Flats and Whidbey Island.
How to recognize:
Twisted neck, corneal opacity (cloudy eyes), diarrhea which can often be bright green, sneezing, labored breathing, grounded, shaking head, wobbly walking, lethargy, being hunkered down, swimming in circles, and seizures in late stage.
Twisted Neck
Photo courtesy of Kersti Muul
Twisted neck
Photo courtesy of Kersti Muul
Encountering a sick or dead bird:
If you come upon a sick bird or a dead bird and are not prepared to dispose it following the safety recommendations below, do not touch the bird.
However, do report the bird at this Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) link: Report Wildlife Observations. This allows WDFW to monitor the outbreak and respond accordingly.
Disposing of a dead bird:
Infected waterfowl can infect eagles, which are very susceptible. If you choose to dispose of a dead bird (duck, goose, swan, chicken, raptor) take the precautions in the infographic below. If you do dispose of a dead bird, do still report it at the WDFW report link above.
Disposing of a dead bird
Courtesy of Kersti Muul
Here is a CDC link for more information about Avian Influenza and potential risks to humans: CDC Guidance and Information
In short, be cautious, assume that sick or dead birds have Avian Influenza and act accordingly.
Information and photos courtesy of Kersti Muul, Urban Wildlife First Responder, Seattle Audubon.
Discover what you should do when you find an “abandoned” baby animal. And what you should do is … generally nothing. Read what Whidbey Island veterinarian and noted wildlife expert Dave Parent has to say about baby animals and human interaction in Finding Baby Animals.
Trumpeter and Tundra Swans are susceptible to poisoning from lead shot. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has a Swan Hotline to help it assess the impact of this poison on swan populations. The hotline is generally open November - March when swans are migrating through or wintering over. Read about the hotline and what you should do if you find a dead, sick or injured swan.
It’s not uncommon to find baby birds out of their nests during the spring and early summer. Often no human intervention is needed to save or protect the bird. But sometimes you can make a difference. Check out the I Found a Baby Bird flowchart to learn when to take action and when not.
Killdeer Chick (Jann Ledbetter)
Banner photo: Unsplash