Birds are dropping dead in Arlington and DC region prompting an investigation into cause

Dead birds reported across DMV

DMV residents are reporting seeing dead birds throughout the region.

ARLINGTON, Va. - People in several parts of the DMV are finding random dead birds everywhere in their neighborhoods, prompting an investigation.

The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources reported on their Facebook that they have been getting a lot of reports and are testing some of the dead birds, but because they came to know about it just recently, it’s going to take a few days to get the results.

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Fox 5’s Ayesha Khan came to know about the sick and dead animals from people talking on social media especially in the Lyons Park area of Arlington.

There are also reports of sick birds from as far west as Winchester and also in Maryland where people were talking on Facebook and Nextdoor about finding dead birds in their neighborhood in Takoma Park.

Many people were also discussing whether pesticide being used on cicadas could be the culprit but animal experts with the Animal Welfare League of Arlington said, it’s too soon to know as the dead birds are being tested and might be a few days before labs have the results.

Senior Communications Specialist, Chelsea Jones with the welfare league is advising against pesticide being used on cicadas because she said, it’s not going to necessarily kill the cicadas, rather poison the wildlife that eat them.

Jones said they have been busy with getting a lot of calls about people finding dead birds such as grackles and blue jays in their neighborhood.

Dead birds bedevil region

Dead birds are being seen throughout the DMV, prompting an investigation.

She shared with us, pictures of not the dead birds but birds that clearly look sick such as having eye infections, injuries and general weakness which are common reactions she said the welfare league is noticing in all of these effected birds.

"We do pay attention to eye issues because sometimes that can be a result of infection from dirty birdfeeders and if you don’t clean your birdfeeder, birds can get conjunctivitis and eye issues from that," said Jones.

"But it does look a little bit different than the way this is presenting so we are paying really close attention to the symptoms."

Jones said that there is nothing to panic about when it comes to your health. She said if and when you find a dead bird, don’t bring it directly to them rather just wear gloves, put them in a bag and dispose of them in the trash. If you find a live bird that looks sick, don’t approach it and call the welfare league to have one of their officers come out.