Q: What kind of harmful parasites can we find on birds?
A: Birds can carry a large number of parasites, including worms and microscopic parasites such as coccidia. They also get several types of mites and lice as well as specialised flies that live between their feathers. Although these parasites are easily spread between birds, they are not known to be particularly problematic for people. Bird mites will bite people, but will soon jump off, looking for more suitable hosts.
External parasites are particularly common on wild birds as well as on poultry, but are not often seen on parrots. Worms and other internal parasites, however, need to be checked for and routinely treated in pet birds. Your avian vet can help you with this.
Dr Dorianne Elliott, veterinarian
