From a distance, birds may appear peaceful, kind, and some may even find them cute. Well, not until they start nesting in your home. See, birds can cause more harm than you may realize. For one, they can cause severe damages to the structure of your home. Their droppings can corrode concrete and metal. Plus, they are very unsightly. Their feathers or the debris from their nests can cause clogging in your drains and gutters as well.
A bird’s nest can also cause lint to build up, restrict airflow, and increase the risk of fire when built on fans, stove vents, or dryer. They may also cause damages to your insulation, particularly when their nests are built in the attic. But aside from your home, birds pose a serious health risk for people too. They can be very dangerous to have around, and they can cause several health problems for you and your family.
Health Dangers of Birds Nesting in Your Residence
Bird Droppings
Birds often leave behind their droppings everywhere they go, much more when it’s their new nesting area. When they’ve chosen your home, expect droppings in your fireplace, chimney, attic, and even vents – which are the prime targets of these feathered animals.
Birds are known to carry parasites and host infectious diseases that can be spread through their dried droppings. These bird poop contain many bacteria and can contaminate the air you are breathing, causing the following diseases:
- Histoplasmosis: This infection can cause many severe complications even in healthy people, including heart problems, meningitis, lung damage, and adrenal insufficiency. For people with compromised immune systems, this infection can be life-threatening.
- Avian Tuberculosis: This can be a potentially fatal disease that’s difficult to treat. It is caused by inhaling organisms found in bird droppings.
- Cryptococcosis: This illness starts as a pulmonary disease and advances by affecting your central nervous system.
- Coli: When birds peck on a cow’s manure, which is where E.coli 0157 originates, they can spread this to humans through water and food supplies.
- Campylobacteriosis: This disease is usually transmitted to humans through water and food that are contaminated by bird feces. It causes gastrointestinal distress with symptoms of weight loss, diarrhea, and lethargy.
- Salmonellosis: This disease can be traced to the bird droppings of starlings, pigeons, and sparrows. Usually, it is transmitted by contaminated food and cooking surfaces of homes, restaurants, and processing plants.
- Psittacosis: This is caused by inhaling the bacteria from the dried droppings, mucous, and feather dust of an infected bird around your home.
These are just some of the 60 transmissible diseases from birds and their droppings.
Ectoparasites
Birds are often associated with several ectoparasites or parasites that live on the surfaces of their hosts. So when birds start nesting in your residence, these parasites can work their way and infest your home and bite you. Now, some of these pests are just a nuisance. However, some can be dangerous to humans and pets such as:
- Chicken Mites: These pests can carry encephalitis and can cause acariasis and fowl mite dermatitis.
- Yellow Mealworms: These pests often live in pigeon nests, and they can cause hymenolepiasis and intestinal canthariasis.
- Bed Bugs: These pests can make their victims weak and even anemic, in severe cases.
- West Nile Virus: When a mosquito bites an infected bird, and this same mosquito finds its way to you, you can get infected.
Need A Bird Control Sydney Expert?
As you can see, birds can be hazardous for you and your family. So if you notice any signs of a bird infestation or signs that they have moved into your home, call Service Now Trades at 02-8511-0351 immediately. We are your local bird control Sydney experts, and we can help get rid of existing birds in your home and prevent them from coming back.
