Dealing with a pest bird problem isn’t a lot of fun. Whether it be starlings squawking their heads off in the early hours of the morning, house sparrows deciding to use your home as their nesting ground, or seagulls defecating all over your back garden, you’re going to want to get rid of any pest bird problem as soon as you can.
Even if you think you can put up with the levels of noise and disruption, pest birds can actually be incredibly harmful to your health, causing a whole host of potential issues further down the line. Join us as we take a detailed look at what some of these potential health problems could be.
Food Borne Illnesses.
Research shows that birds can carry bacteria like Salmonella, E. coli, Yersinia, Listeria, Cryptococcus and Campylobacter. Therefore, if these microbes can pass over into your food, they can cause a food borne illness to develop, some of which can be fatal.
Salmonellosis, for example, is a food poisoning that occurs commonly throughout the year. Transmitted via bird droppings, one of the main methods in which the Salmonella bacteria gets into our systems is through dried faecal dust blowing through air vents covered in bird droppings. This dust then gets onto our food, which we eat without even knowing. Disgusting, I know.
Bird Mites.
Too small to be seen by the naked eye, parasitic mites can infest birds and cause all matters of problems. They can also jump from infested birds onto humans, biting them and causing small reddened bumps to develop over time. This, in turn, can then lead to intense itching, lesions and a crawling sensation on the body.
Should these bites be repeatedly scratched, the sites could become infected, leading to further potential issues later on.
Viruses
According to The World Health Organization, birds are the principal hosts for viruses associated with eastern and western Equine Encephalitis, St. Louis Encephalitis, West Nile Virus and even some influenza viruses.
In other words, this means that birds can carry all sorts of nasty viruses which they can then pass on to humans. Here are some of the main diseases that pest birds are known to potentially carry:
- Louis Encephalitis flavivirus.
- West Nile flavivirus.
- Tick Borne Encephalitis flavivirus complex.
- Chlamydophila psittaci.
- Campylobacter jejuni.
- coli enteropathogenic.
- Salmonella spp.
- Yersinia pseudotuberculosis.
- Listeria monocytogenes.
Pigeon Problems.
Pigeons are one of the most troublesome pest birds there are. Frequently nesting in and around buildings, they can be a constant issue, presenting a whole host of health problems of their own. Here are the three main diseases known to be caused as a result of pigeons:
- This disease is caused by a fungus which grows inside pigeon droppings. Sufferers are said to struggle with symptoms that include fatigue, fever and chest pains.
- Otherwise known as parrot fever, humans can contract this rare infectious disease when pigeon droppings dry and become airborne. The main symptoms typically include fatigue, fever and pneumonia.
- This fungal-based airborne disease typically affects individuals with compromised immune systems. Its main symptoms are fatigue, headaches and blurred vision.
If you are currently struggling with a pest bird problem and need some help eradicating the issue, get in touch with our team today. We provide bird prevention systems to clients throughout the South East of England, and can fit humane bird spikes to all types of property.