Deceased bird found on property in W. Pennsylvania with no sign of trauma, this morning. Is this bird a corvid?
Deceased bird found on property in W. Pennsylvania with no sign of trauma, this morning. Is this bird a corvid?
Found the bird first thing this morning and it didn’t smell at that point so I assumed it was fresh. I dont remember it being there yesterday. I couldn’t take photos or bag it until just now, approx 8 hours later. It smells now and fly eggs are present (not maggots - they don’t move). I reported it as a corvid for West Nile testing. If it isn’t a corvid or a jay then it doesn’t need testing, however I don’t expect to get a call back until Monday. Until then it is triple bagged and in a fridge.
I think it’s either a crow fledgling or a juvenile common grackle.
Common grackles usually have a more iridescent Sheen to then and that feels a little large for a juvenile. My guess is fledgling American or fish crow.
I would submit for testing to be sure
Thank you! I was really hoping it wasn’t a corvid so I could go ahead and dispose of it. I’ll go ahead and submit it for testing to be sure. I’ll update this post if I’m given the bird ID and/or the results