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© KREMDead crows litter streets in West Valley and Millwood
A viewer e-mailed KREM 2 News on Thursday expressing concern over a large amount of dead birds - crows, to be exact - right near Bessie Street in the neighborhood of West Valley in Spokane.

What is worrying residents like Debbie Lehinger is the fact that they are crows.

"We were always told that if you were to see a dead crow to be concerned and to report it," Lehinger said.

Thursday, the Department of Fish and Wildlife told KREM 2 they are looking into what caused this.


They said their main concern is the fact that five or more dead crows can indicates signs of West Nile Virus. That virus is spread through mosquitos that feed on the infected birds.

They could then pass that on to people, officials said.

Health officials said this is the time of year when drought conditions draw mosquito's to waterways, and it is when birds start migrating.

Officials said neighbors in Millwood also reported seeing several dead birds as well. Wildlife officials said it is important to remember not to handle any birds you see.

Officials expect to have preliminary results from the dead birds by Friday.