Washington, private property
Dead Bird Removal
Birds that die inside a dryer vent, bath fan, chimney or attic are the ones that need reaching on a Washington property. Seattle lets residents double-bag a single songbird on open ground for the trash. WDFW wants a possible avian influenza report first for several birds dead in one place, or for a hawk, owl or waterfowl, and an eagle is a matter for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Before you pay anyone. Count them and look at what they are. One songbird under a window is yours to bag. Several dead together, or a dead goose, duck, gull, hawk or owl, matches the birds WDFW has confirmed with avian influenza in Washington, and WDFW asks for those to be reported through its online tool before they are moved.
What this covers
- Birds inside dryer, bath fan and range hood vents where the hood comes off
- Chimney flues and smoke shelves
- Attic and soffit spaces entered through a gap or vent
- Several dead birds under a feeder, roost or window, after a WDFW report
- Geese and other large birds on lawns and docks, once WDFW has the report
Where the limit is
Eagle remains go through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Backyard chickens, ducks and turkeys count as livestock under Washington's disposal rule, and unexplained flock deaths belong with WSDA's Sick Bird Hotline. A bird trapped inside a finished wall is handled as information, without cutting.
Where a vent hood unclips or a chimney cap lifts off, a bird inside can usually be reached from that end. Where the duct carries on through a finished ceiling, the reachable part may stop at the hood, and that gets said on the call.
How a call goes
- Say how many birds there are, what kind if you know, and where they are
- If they fit WDFW's avian influenza picture, they get reported to WDFW first
- A single bird on open ground is left to you, with Seattle's and WDFW's bagging advice
- Birds in vents, chimneys or attics are priced on the call
Questions about this animal
Is it legal to put a dead wild bird in the trash?
Generally, yes. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lets anyone who finds a dead migratory bird pick it up to dispose of it, provided it is destroyed within seven days by burning, burial or, where local rules allow, the trash. Keeping the bird or its feathers for yourself is not allowed. Birds are also wildlife under Washington law, so moving one from your own property falls under the WDFW phone rule in WAC 220-400-040.
Several birds died under my feeder. What happened?
Salmonellosis is a common cause. WDFW describes it as a usually fatal bird disease that spreads through droppings and saliva where birds crowd together, such as at feeders, and asks people to take feeders down during an outbreak. If you keep one up, WDFW says to scrub it daily and dunk it in nine parts water to one part bleach. King County's own guidance directs multiple dead animals to a veterinary clinic, shelter or pet cemetery rather than the household can.
How do I move a bird that might have bird flu?
WDFW's first advice is to leave it and report it. If it has to be moved, WDFW says to wear protective equipment, double bag it and use a shovel to put it deep in the garbage where scavengers cannot reach it, or to bury or incinerate it. Keep dogs and cats away from it, since WDFW notes that cats are more vulnerable to the virus than dogs.
It is an eagle. Who do I call?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. If there is any sign it was shot, poisoned or electrocuted, or that feathers or parts were taken, call the Service's law enforcement line at 1-844-397-8477. Otherwise the remains go to the National Eagle Repository unless the Service authorizes something else, so an eagle is not something to hand to a removal company.
One of my backyard hens died. Does this page apply?
Only partly. WAC 246-203-121 counts poultry as livestock and hands livestock that died of disease or an unknown cause over to the livestock disposal rules in chapter 16-25 WAC. For unexplained deaths in a domestic flock, WSDA asks you to call its Sick Bird Hotline at 1-800-606-3056, especially if the birds have been near wild waterfowl.
Not sure this is the right page? Who removes a dead animal in Washington works through the public and private split, and the county pages give the published position where you live.