Finding, picking and collecting bird feathers has been a pastime for many and it’s understandable why. Many birds have beautiful looking feathers, collecting them will give you a very eye-catching piece of artwork. Whether your collection comprises of a set of beautiful blue jay feathers or a set of pretty peacock feathers it will surely draw a crowd. But while picking these beautiful feathers you may ask yourself ‘is it safe to pick up bird feathers’ this article looks into it
While the chances of you getting a disease from bird feathers are low, there is still a risk. Bird feathers can carry parasites, viruses and bacteria, this is especially true for dead birds so picking up feathers has some risk. In addition, if the birds of the area have Asian avian flu then you could get gravely ill from this disease if you get it from the feathers.
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Is it safe to pick up bird feathers?
Truth is, nothing is 100 percent safe.
Yes, you can get a disease from picking a bird feather from the floor but the chances of catching something from a bird’s feathers are very slim.
Birds can carry bacteria, parasites or viruses and these can be transferred to you if you pick one up and take it home. Bacteria, parasites or viruses are more likely to appear in birds that are dead and have been dead for a long time.
That being said, it is generally considered safe to pick up bird feathers as long as you aren’t in an area where there has been an outbreak of the avian flu virus.
But, if the avian virus of your area is the North American avian flu and not the Asian avian flu then you are less at risk. This is because the Asian avian virus has been known to cause serious illness in humans, the North American avian flu has only infected a couple of people.
Thus the risk of the North American avian flu is quite low.
In addition, the transfer of disease of any of these bird flus is through prolonged and very close contact with the bird’s bodily excretions. The chances of catching it from a birds feather, that has been lying around, is very low.
None the less, for added safety, it is always a good idea to wash your hands with soap and water after you have picked up a bird feather or have cleaned out your bird’s cage.
Can you keep the feathers you find?
While it is relatively safe to pick up a bird feather taking these feathers home may not be the best idea as doing this may be illegal. The MBTA (the Migratory Bird Treaty Act), was signed by the United States and Canada in 1918.
This act was signed in an effort to end the trade of bird feathers in these two countries.
This act made it illegal to own any part of any bird species protected by this act. This includes feathers, whether plucked or feathers found on the floor of obtained in any other way.
Because of this, you may pick up a birds feather to examine it but you cannot take it home to own and keep. The birds that fall under this act include most North American birds expect non-native species and game birds.
Do bird feathers have to be cleaned?
Yes, bird feathers have to be cleaned, if you find a feather that isn’t protected by the MBTA then you can take it home but it does need to be cleaned in case it is carrying a parasite, virus or bacteria.
This is how to clean bird feathers:
- Start off by removing and killing parasites with mothballs. Leave the feathers and mothballs in a zip log bag for at least 24 hours, this will kill off any parasites.
- Soak the feathers in a solution of hydrogen peroxide and rubbing alcohol to sanitize them, use the highest percentage of each chemical that you can. Leave them in the solution for at least half an hour
- Let the feathers sit in boiling water for a few minutes to kill off any leftover germs. Wipe off any gunk after the boiling stage.
- Mix some dishwashing detergent with some warm water to create a solution and swish the feathers in this solution
- Proceed to rinse the feathers in some clean water to get all the product out, you can do this once or twice
- Lastly, blow dry the feathers with a hairdryer set on low. Do not blow-dry too closely to the feathers as this can warp them
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is relatively safe to pick up bird feathers but there is always the chance that you can catch a disease from the feathers as feathers can contain bacteria, viruses and parasites.
You also need to check the MBTA to see if you are allowed to take home the feathers you find. Remember to clean the feathers thoroughly once you get them home.
If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other bird related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: How to get rid of pigeons from trees, Feather rot in pigeons, why this happens and what to do, How to get rid of pigeon lice, How to pluck feathers from a dead bird, Can birds be scared to death?, How to cremate a bird at home