I just wanted to point out that anywhere from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of birds die in Washington state every year, so there is no lack of material for decomposers. In other words, hopefully not too many bacteria or fungi will be robbed of a meal if a specimen is picked up and labeled and bagged and frozen. Each specimen of a bird (or any other animal or plant), no matter how common the species, furnishes data that can be used in many different kinds of studies, some of them benefitting conservation, so we in the museum world are very grateful when people salvage these specimens and save them for us.

Dennis Paulson, Emeritus Director
Slater Museum of Natural History
University of Puget Sound
Tacoma, WA 98416
http://www.pugetsound.edu/academics/academic-resources/slater-museum/


On Sep 18, 2014, at 12:00 PM, tweeters-request at mailman1.u.washington.edu wrote:

> Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2014 15:29:28 -0700
> From: Kelly Cassidy <highsteppe at icloud.com>
> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] What to do with a dead bird?
> To: tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
> Message-ID: <63788D6A-C919-4999-992F-E38CC45FC177 at icloud.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Ideally, if you plan to take it to a museum, double bag it in tightly-closed Zip-loc Freezer bags (to help prevent dehydration in a frost-free freezer). Between the 1st and 2nd bag, put a clearly written label with date found, specific location, county, state, and collector name.
>
> If you're not going to take it to a museum, toss it under a bush or something and let it be recycled.
>
> Kelly Cassidy
> Pullman, WA
>
>> On Sep 17, 2014, at 3:09 PM, McComb Gardens <info at mccombgardens.com> wrote:
>>
>> And stick it in the freezer?
>>
>> Wings,
>> Jane
>>
>>
>> Neil W. Burkhardt
>> Jane Stewart
>> 121 Solar Lane
>> Sequim, WA 98382-8324
>> info at mccombgardens.com
>> 360-681-2827
>>
>>
>> From: tweeters-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu [mailto:tweeters-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu] On Behalf Of Robert C. Faucett
>> Sent: Wednesday, September 17, 2014 2:55 PM
>> To: Steve Compton scompton1251
>> Cc: TWEETERS; Daniel Mroz; Robert C. Faucett
>> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] What to do with a dead bird?
>>
>> Put it in a ziploc bag along with a note about when & where you found it. Then take it to a museum!
>>
>>
>> --
>> Robert C. Faucett
>> Collections Manager
>> Ornithology
>> Burke Museum
>> Box 353010
>> University of Washington
>> Seattle, WA 98195-3010
>> Office: 206-543-1668
>> Cell: 206-619-5569
>> Fax: 206-685-3039
>> rfaucett at uw.edu
>> www.washington.edu/burkemuseum
>> http://www.washington.edu/burkemuseum/collections/ornithology/index.php
>> http://www.washington.edu/burkemuseum/collections/genetic/index.php
>>
>> On Sep 17, 2014, at 2:52 PM, Steve Compton scompton1251 <scompton1251 at charter.net> wrote:
>>
>>
>> Daniel,
>>
>> Natural, remove if necessary. Possession is technically illegal. Just leave it or put it under a bush.
>>
>> Steve Compton
>> Visiting Seattle from Greenville, SC
>>
>>
>> Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone
>>
>>
>>
>> -------- Original message --------
>> From: Daniel Mroz <simplymrozthejew at gmail.com>
>> Date: 09/17/2014 2:38 PM (GMT-08:00)
>> To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
>> Subject: [Tweeters] What to do with a dead bird?
>>
>>
>>
>> What is the appropriate way to take care of a dead bird? Leave it for other animals and insects? Throw it away? Call a vet?
>>
>> Thanks