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Hooded Crows Were Linked to 87 Reported West Nile Virus Bird Outbreaks in Europe

Hooded crow perched in City Park, Skopje, North Macedonia
Research · Disease, parasites & microbiology

A joint ECDC–EFSA surveillance report shows intense West Nile virus activity among European birds in 2026. Published on 9 September from data submitted through 3 September, the report recorded 280 avian outbreaks in its main European total. West Nile virus is maintained primarily in a mosquito–bird transmission cycle, and EFSA notes that corvids and raptors are among the bird groups that often develop clinical disease.

Corvids dominated the reported species list

Hooded crow (Corvus corone cornix) was associated with 87 reported outbreaks and Eurasian magpie (Pica pica) with 70. Western carrion crow (Corvus corone corone) was linked to 18 outbreaks, followed by Eurasian blackbird with 13 and common kestrel and little owl with 10 each.

These numbers are counts of reported outbreaks associated with each taxon, not counts of individual infected birds and not direct estimates of infection prevalence or biological susceptibility. Differences among species can also be influenced by surveillance intensity, the likelihood that sick or dead birds are detected, and the probability that a species develops conspicuous disease. The report therefore documents which taxa were most often associated with reported outbreaks, rather than establishing a simple ranking of which species are most susceptible.

Italy accounted for most reported bird outbreaks

Italy accounted for 218 of the reported bird outbreaks, followed by Belgium with 26, Croatia with nine, Spain with eight, Austria with seven, France with five, Germany and North Macedonia with three each, and the Netherlands with one. Switzerland separately submitted one avian outbreak to the Animal Disease Information System for the first time in 2026.

Outbreaks in birds and equids increased markedly during July and August and exceeded the recent historical monthly averages used in the report, indicating intense West Nile virus circulation among animals. The August figures remain provisional because reporting delays can add outbreaks later.

Sources and image credit

  1. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control & European Food Safety Authority. (2026). Surveillance of West Nile virus infections in humans and animals in Europe, monthly report – data submitted up to 3 September 2026.Primary joint surveillance report published 9 September 2026. It reports 280 avian outbreaks in the main European total. The bird taxa most frequently associated with reported outbreaks were hooded crow (87), Eurasian/common magpie (70), western carrion crow (18), Eurasian blackbird (13), common kestrel (10) and little owl (10). The report notes intense animal circulation in July–August and that recent data remain provisional.
  2. ECDC & EFSA. (2026). Surveillance of West Nile virus infections in humans and animals in Europe – September 2026 online report.Official online version of the September surveillance report, based on data submitted through 3 September 2026.

Image: Hooded crow (Corvus corone cornix) in City Park, Skopje, North Macedonia, 4 April 2026. Photo: Chuck Homler / FocusOnWildlife.Me / Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikimedia Commons Quality Image; representative image, not a bird from a reported West Nile virus outbreak. · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source

About this content: This story was produced with AI assistance within an editorial workflow developed by Wildlife Vagabond. Editorial responsibility remains with Wildlife Vagabond.How AI is used

Disease, parasites & microbiology

SPECIES IN THIS STORY

Species in this story

Hooded Crow Corvus corone cornix Explore species Eurasian Magpie Pica pica Explore species Western Carrion Crow Corvus corone corone Explore species

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