Wild Birds That Typically Host the West Nile Virus

American Crow

Corvus brachyrhynchos

Identification Tips:

• Length: 16-18"
• Wingspan: 39"
• Weight: 1 lb
• Entirely black plumage
• Squared-off tail
• Short tail, broad wings
• Very common in urban and agricultural area

Common Raven

Corvus corax

Identification Tips:

• Length: 24"
• Wingspan: 53"
• Weight: 2.6 lb
• Entirely black plumage
• Long narrow wings, wedged shaped tail, heavy bill
• Larger than crows

Blue Jay

Cyanocitta cristata

Identification Tips:

• Length: 11"
• Wingspan: 16"
• Weight: 3 oz
• Black sturdy bill
• Blue crest and upperparts
• Black eyeline and breastband
• Bright blue wings with black bars and white patches
• Long blue tail with black bars and white corners
• Migrates during the day in small flocks

Gray Jay

Perisoreus canadensis

Identification Tips:

• Length: 11.5"
• Wingspan: 18"
• Weight: 2.5 oz
• Color: Gray with white and black markings
• Short, sturdy, dark bill
• Resembles an oversized chickadee

Black-billed Magpie

Pica pica

Identification Tips:

• Length: 19"
• Wingspan: 25"
• Weight: 6 oz
• Colour: White and black
• Long, iridiscent tail
• Iridiscent wings with white patches in flight

Broad-winged hawk

Buteo platypterus

Identification Tips:

• Length: 13"
• Wingspan: 33"
• Sexes similar
• Short, dark, hooked beak
• Medium-sized, broad-winged, broad-tailed hawk
• Short, broad wings somewhat pointed at the tip

Red-tailed hawk

Buteo jamaicensis

Identification Tips:

• Length: 18"
• Wingspan: 48"
• Short, dark, hooked beak
• Large, broad-winged, broad-tailed hawk
• Young birds have notably narrower wings and tail, and appear slimmer
• Tail appears brick red above and pink below
• Breast and back pattern vary, some birds being intermediate between light and dark brown

Red-winged Blackbird

Agelaius phoeniceus

Identification Tips:

• Length: 8.75"
• Wingspan: 13"
• Weight: 1.8 oz
• Color: All black except for red and white wing patches
• Sharply-pointed bill
• Frequents marshy habitats in summer, open habitats at other times of year
• Often flocks with other species of blackbirds

Brown headed Cowbird

Molothrus ater

Identification Tips:

• Length: 7.5"
• Wingspan: 12"
• Weight: 1.5 oz
• Color: Male-black body with brown head Female - all brown

Common Grackle

Quiscalus quiscula

Identification Tips:

• Length: 11 - 13.5"
• Color: All black with bluish sheen to feathers

European Starling

Sturnus vulgaris

Identification Tips:

• Length: 8.5"
• Wingspan: 16"
• Weight: 2.9 oz
• Color: Black to brown body with white markings
• Pointed bill-yellow for most of year, dark in fall
• Very common-frequently seen in large flocks

Rusty Blackbird

Euphagus carolinus

Identification Tips:

• Length: 9"
• Wingspan: 14"
• Weight: 2.1 oz
• Color: All black

Brewer's Blackbird

Euphagus cyanocephalus

Identification Tips:

• Length: 9"
• Wingspan: 15.5"
• Weight: 2.2 oz
• Color: All black

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus

Identification Tips:

• Length: 9.5"
• Wingspan: 15"
• Weight: 2.3 oz
• Colour: Black body with yellow head and white markings on wings

Relative size of birds

Left to right: Starling (small); Crow (large); Raven (very large).

This picture is to help in identification of bird species by providing a comparison of size.