Birding/bird decomposition

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Expert: - 11/21/2007


Question
Apparently, I have a bird that has died between the walls in my house. Judging
from the sound that my kids say they heard a few days ago, I would guess it
was a small bird. The temps in my area are lows in the 40's and highs of about
65-70ºF. Any idea on how long it will take for the carcass to decompose
enough for the odor to stop?

Answer
I'm surprized that you even had an odor. If it was a small bird, it should have dried up in a day or two with little smell remaining. I've handled many dead birds and because they have so little moisture in them, only the big ones smell to any extent and only in warm conditions. And it is very rare for a bird to get into the walls of a typical house. If it is a small bird, the smell should disappear quickly, but I would suspect a rat or mouse instead.

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Roger Lederer

Expertise

Any and all about WILD birds - the science of ornithology. Information about birdwatching, ecology, conservation, migration, behavior, banding, rehabilitation, feeding, songs, binoculars, identification, and careers in ornithology. No questions about pet or caged birds, please.

Experience

Have a PhD and over forty years as a professional ornithologist - research, teaching, author, speaker, webmaster of Ornithology.com . Have written thirty scientific papers, three bird field guides, a textbook in ecology and two recent books entitled "Amazing Birds" and "Birds of New England". Have traveled to over 90 countries watching birds.

Education/Credentials
PhD in Zoology/Ornithology; Emeritus Professor of Biological Sciences; former Dean of the College of Natural Sciences at California State University, Chico

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