I just found a bird w/ West Nile Virus
(I think)
My dad called me outside to "take a look at this", and he pointed to a Mourning Dove sitting between the outdoor rat hutch, and the hose reel. It appeared as if it flew into the window (we have a big backyard window). But I noticed the curtains were half way down the window, which means the bird would have seen the window and veered away, like other birds in the past. I wanted to make sure it was ok (it looked disorientated), so I made to sure grab it firmly, so it wouldn't squirm and injure its self. I took a close look and it appeared to have no broken wings, I could open them, and everything felt normal. I held it a second, in case it just had a big headache from a possible collision with the window. When I put it in the grass, it fell down immediately onto its chest. I thought maybe a leg was broken, but it was gripping my finger right before I put it down, to be sure, I picked it back up again, and the leg seemed normal. I set it back down, and it flew into the row of arborvitae trees we have in our backyard. Yipppeee! It can fly! BUT....it landed in the branch and tumbled down to the ground. I walked over to the trees, and looked at it again, then picked it back up, and looked at it some more. The closer I looked the more this bird looked odd, it had a weird appearance to it, not normal & hard to explain. I thought I'd help it out, again, so I placed it in on a thick branch. It gripped the branch, so I let go...as soon as I let go it plummeted to the ground (not too far). It stumbled away into the neighbor's yard, and I noticed it's head was slightly shaking.
Poor bird! I would have called the local wildlife rehabilitation center, since they know a lot of information on West Nile Virus, but they are closed.
I am 99% positive it is West Nile Virus which has infected this bird. We had a huge problem with WNV last year, and it is coming back this year. Last year I remember finding many dead birds in the city park, which died from WNV. Our yard is loaded with mosquitoes, since our yard is 98% shaded and moist...perfect breeding place for mosquitoes. I refuse to let the cats & rats outside, I just know they will get it. I am afraid I am going to get it, or my mom and dad. This is really scary. I washed my hands for about 5 minutes, in case it had something on its feathers :p.
Anyways, what do you think was wrong with the bird.
