5-18-11: Crows -- Scapegoats in a Medical Mystery

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Crows.  Credit: iStockphoto.com

When the West Nile Virus spread from Africa to New York 12 years ago, crows became infected with the mosquito-borne disease and started dying by the millions across America. Many people blamed these black carrion eaters for spreading the flu-like illness to about 300,000 Americans. But now researchers say the crows were innocent victims, and West Nile Virus was spread by the more cheerful-looking American Robin and other birds.