Someone who would never tolerate a bunch of rats living in the attic of their home will turn a blind eye towards pigeons and other pest birds living in the roofline overhangs or under the AC units of their roof. In terms of disease and damage, these two pests are very similar.
In order to better understand how nuisance birds (Rats with Wings) spread disease we need to understand the basics of disease and transmission.
Fortunately, human interaction with most bird species is minimal, thus drastically reducing any health threat from most birds. However a few bird species have successfully adapted to our urban environment. The pigeon, starling and house sparrow have learned to thrive living in our buildings and eating our food. Their adaptation to our communities has brought them into close proximity to humans. These three non-native birds have become a major nuisance in our cities and they pose a serious health risk.
Inhalation of fecal dust
As bird feces and the contaminated soil it rests on, dries or is disturbed, microscopic pieces break off and become airborne. These airborne particles can contain dormant fungi and/or bacteria. When breathed into the lungs, the warm, moist environment of the lung lining provides a breeding ground for the infectious agents.
Common symptoms of this type of infection are flu like in nature: coughing, elevated temperature, restricted breathing and general body fatigue, and it usually lasts roughly two to four days.
The vast majority of the time, the bodies defenses will stop the invaders even before minor symptoms appear but in a small percentage of cases, major infection causing long term disability and even death occurs.
As a side note- There is no known medical cure for internal fungal infections.
Direct contact with feces
Infections occur when a worker or resident gets fecal dust or droppings in an open wound or cut. This commonly occurs when handling old rusty tools, sharp edged equipment or products which are covered with bird feces.
The wound site becomes red, puffy and puss-filled. Antibiotics are often needed to cure the infection. In some rare cases, infection of the blood (Septis) or internal infection can also occur causing serious illness or death.
Associated Parasites
Pest birds harbor ticks, fleas, mites and other ectoparasites. Parasites transfer disease in the following manner. The parasite bites an infected animal and sucks in blood containing the germ. When the bug bites its next victim it passes along the germ to the new victim. This occurs because parasites inject some of their saliva into the host when feeding.
Over forty types of parasites live either on the birds, in their nests or in the places they roost. They are responsible for the transmission of several hundred viral and bacterial agents. These diseases include plague, encephalitis, pox and meningitis. Control of these parasites is a crucial phase of the bird control project. Paradoxically, this threat can be aggravated when bird control products are installed.
Unless the parasites are exterminated when the birds are excluded from a site, the mites, fleas, ticks etc. will seek a new host, often the human inhabitants. Therefore, a proper bird control project should always include parasite extermination.
Avian Reservoir | |||
Disease | Pigeons | Starlings | Sparrows |
Erysipeloid | Y | Y | Y |
Fowl Cholera (Pasteurellosis) | |||
Fowl Typhoid | Y | ||
Infectious Coryza | Y | ||
Listeriosis | Y | Y | |
Paratyphoid | Y | Y | Y |
Pasteurellosis | Y | Y | |
Pullorum Disease | Y | Y | |
Salmonellosis | Y | Y | Y |
Spoirochetosis | Y | Y | Y |
Streptococosis | Y | ||
Tuberculosis | Y | Y | |
Ulcerative Enteritis | Y | ||
Vibriosis | Y | ||
Yersiniosis | Y | Y | |
Aspergillosis | Y | ||
Blastomycosis | Y | Y | |
Candidiasis | Y | ||
Cryptococcosis | Y | ||
Histoplasmosis | Y | Y | |
Sarcosporidiosis | Y | ||
American Trypanosomiasis | Y | ||
Coccidiosis | Y | Y | Y |
Haemoproteus | Y | ||
Leucocytozoonosis | Y | ||
Toxoplasmosis | Y | Y | Y |
Trichomoniasis | Y | Y | |
Chlamydiosis | Y | Y | Y |
Piroplasmosis | Y | ||
Q Fever | Y | Y | |
Encephalitis | Y | Y | Y |
Eastern Equine Encephalitis | Y | Y | Y |
Fort Morgan Encephalitis | Y | ||
St. Louis Encephalitis | Y | Y | Y |
Venezuelan Encephalitis | Y | ||
west Nile Encephalitis | Y | ||
western equine Encephalitis | Y | Y | |
Meningitis | Y | ||
Newcastle Disease | Y | Y | Y |
Pox | Y | Y | Y |
Transmissible Gastroenteritis | Y | Y | |
Davainea proglottina | Y | ||
Railletina tetragona | Y | ||
Taeniasis | Y | Y | Y |
Capillariasis (3 Species) | Y | Y | |
Dispharysiasis | Y | Y | Y |
Eyeworm | Y | ||
Gapeworm | Y | ||
Tetramariasis (2 species) | Y | Y | Y |
Schistosomiasis | Y | Y | Y |
Brachylaemus commutatus | Y | ||
Brachylaemus fuscatus | Y | ||
Collyriculum faba | Y | Y | |
Cotylurus cornutus | Y | ||
Cryptocoyle convacum | Y | ||
Echinoparyphium paraulum | Y | ||
Echinoparyphium recurvatum | Y | ||
Echinostoma revolutum | Y | ||
Haplorchis pumilio | Y | ||
Hypoderaeum conoideum | Y | ||
Plagiorchis murus | Y | ||
Postharmostomum gallinium | Y | ||
Riberiola ondatrae | Y | ||
Tamerlania bragai | Y | ||
Acariasis | Y | Y | Y |
Air Sac Mite | Y | ||
Bed Bug | Y | Y | Y |
Black Carpet beetle | Y | Y | Y |
Cadelle Beetle | Y | ||
Carpet Beetle | Y | Y | Y |
Casemaking Clothes Moth | Y | Y | Y |
Chicken Mite | Y | Y | Y |
Chiggers | Y | Y | |
Clothes Moth | Y | ||
Cryptophagid Beetles | Y | ||
Depluming Mite | Y | ||
Drug Store Beetle | Y | ||
European Chicken Flea | Y | Y | Y |
European Earwig | Y | ||
Fowl Cyst Mite | Y | ||
Fowl Tick | Y | Y | |
Furniture Beetle | Y | ||
Larder Beetle | Y | ||
Little House Fly | Y | ||
Mosquitoes | Y | Y | Y |
Northern Fowl Mite | Y | Y | Y |
Pigeon Fly | Y | ||
Pigeon Kissing Bug | Y | ||
Pigeon Nest Bug | Y | ||
Pigeon Quill Mite | Y | ||
Pigeon Tick | Y | ||
Scalynig Mite | Y | ||
Spider Beetle | Y | ||
Sticktight Flea | Y | Y | |
Straw Itch Mite | Y | ||
Tropical Fowl Mite | Y | Y | |
Webbing Clothes Moth | Y | Y | Y |
Western Chicken Flea | Y | Y | |
Yellow Mealworm | Y | ||
BarbMite | Y | ||
Bird Louse Fly | Y | ||
Body-Feather Mite | Y | ||
Carnid Fly | Y | ||
Dermestid Beetle | Y | ||
Hister Beetles | Y | ||
Large Pigeon body Louse | Y | ||
Lathridid Beetle | Y | ||
Little Feather Beetle | Y | ||
Nasal Mites | Y | ||
Neck Mite | Y | ||
Parasitic Wasp | Y | ||
Pigeon Flea | Y | ||
Pigeon Vent Louse | Y | ||
Rove Beetle | Y | ||
Slender Pigeon Louse | Y | ||
Pigeon Quill Mite | Y | ||
Weber, W.J. 1979, Health Hazards from Pigeons, Starlings, and English Sparrows.
Thomson Publications, P.O. Box 9335, Fresno, California, 138pp. |
Southwest Avian Solutions,LLC Guarantees all Workmanship and Installations for 5 years or 3 years depending on the project and just about all of the Pigeon Control or Bird Deterrent products or materials that we use to bird proof your home or business can carry up to a 5 year warrantee.
Our Bird-Free Guarantee; We Guarantee the locations or areas that Southwest Avian Solutions,LLC has installed products on/ in or areas that we close off against your pest birds re-entering that location. We can not guarantee that birds will not move to other unprotected locations now or in the future on your home, business or structure that Southwest Avian Solutions,LLC did not protect.
After 5,000 plus homes and businesses in Arizona and the southwest we really know what it takes to get rid you of your flying rats.
Due to our many years of experience Southwest Avian Solutions can offer very competitive prices for your home, office or structure bird control problems without compromising integrity and / or quality, backed with our 5 year or 3 year Bird-Free Guarantee.
Don't wait any longer, call Southwest Avian Solutions,LLC. Monday thru Saturday from 8:30 AM - 4:45 PM at 602-942-6550 or 480-969-2337 to schedule your "NO OBLIGATION SITE SURVEY", see how we can help solve your pigeon control or pest bird control problems with our many different discrete bird deterrents to bird proof your residential or commercial property and help you finally put an end to all the hassle, mess and health issues caused by your pest birds or pigeon control problems on your home or business.
All of our Bird Control Services are offered in:
Ahwatukee Az, Anthem Az, Apache Junction Az, Avondale Az, Buckeye Az, Carefree Az, Casa Grande Az, Cave Creek Az, Chandler Az,
El Mirage Az, Eloy Az, Fountain Hills Az, Gilbert Az, Glendale Az, Gold Canyon Az, Goodyear Az, Higley Az, Litchfield Park Az,
Maricopa Az, Mesa Az, Paradise Valley Az, Peoria Az, Phoenix Az, Queen Creek Az, San Tan Valley Az, Sun City Az, Sun City West Az,
Sun Lakes Az, Surprise Az, Tempe Az, Tolleson Az, Waddell Az, Youngtown Az, .
Outside Maricopa County - No Residential Services - Only Commercial Bird Control Projects are offered In:
Bullhead City Az, Flagstaff Az, Florence Az, Globe Az, Kingman Az, Lake Havasu City Az, Las Vegas Nv, Laughlin Nv, Nogales Az, Payson Az, Prescott Az, Quartzsite Az, Yuma Az, Sedona Az, Tucson Az, Wickenburg Az, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, Az
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