What diseases do Blackbirds suffer from?

Question

Some Blackbirds in my garden appear begraggled, have white patches of feathers or even bare patches of skin. They still visit the bird table and seem to be otherwise OK.

Answer 1

Are you in the British Isles, Lizbeth. If so you are describing a fairly normal feature of blackbirds. They 'moult' their feathers about now and can look worse for wear.

Blackbirds, like most birds, are normally very healthy and do not suffer from any specific diseases.

Answer 2

To answer your question:

Blackbirds can suffer form any number of diseases other birds do. The ones you sound like you’re describing sound as though they are simply molting.

To clear up some misconceptions about diseases they can spread to people:

Don’t believe everything you hear. Histoplasmosis is a very moderate disease that resembles the Common Cold and rarely causes anything more than a sniffle. An estimated 80% of the people in the southern US states have already contracted it, as it is related to spores that grow in the bird droppings and mix with the soil, especially in more humid regions. People also tend to build a resistance to it once they’ve been infected.

Toxoplasmosis is an extremely rare form of that same disease that affects specific organs in the human body. Don’t concern yourself with this unless you already have more serious conditions such as a form of cancer, AIDS or any medical condition that can affect your immune system.

The other diseases are found in just about every animal’s droppings and most can only be contracted if it enters your system directly through injection or ingestion. So avoid bird poop diets and never spread any on an open wound and you’ll be fine!

The same goes for Avian Influenza. Unless you’re a person that has a craving for raw duck blood, you have little to nothing to worry about.

Try to avoid the biased conclusions draw from “pest” control companies; how else are they supposed to make a profit?

Answer 3

Birds molt every year. This is when they lose patches of feathers while new ones are growing in(they look pretty ratty when going through this phase). The Blackbirds are just getting their pretty new jackets. Don't worry about them unless some start dieing. Then there might be another issue going on in which you will want to call your local Environmental Health Agency.

Answer 4

Because technology is not god , it has also some limits . moreover nowadays people are not healthy conscious , due to easy availability of junk foods and other unhealthy stuffs they are willingly inviting the diseases , there is nothing to blame technology in this . happy life depends on how your living your life . good lifestyle gives happy and disease free life . Forgot to mention spiritually diseases are given by god to humans based on the magnitude of ones sin . before sin and karma technology can't do anything, so in order to live disease free life have healthy life style coupled with spirituality ... ..

Answer 5

Hi Liz
I am glad to hear that someone is loving the black bird. i read all the answer 1st before i posted mine, People think its funny but you are just worried about the black birds. I get a few and have seen them with a few bald patches,, i had to ask my mum was i over feeding them and of course she laffed at me. She says they pluck there own feathers out. i hope that helped a bit

Answer 6

They may be a reservoir for the transmission of diseases to humans (zoonotic diseases) such as ornithosis, salmonellosis, and several forms of encephalitis, histoplasmosis, cryptococcosis, toxoplasmosis, and coccidiosis. Blackbirds are also a concern to farmers because they may carry and transmit many diseases, such as hog cholera, for livestock. In additional to the numerous infectious zoonotic diseases, Blackbirds also harbor and transmit a number of ectoparasites associated with the bird and its nests such as lice, mites, fleas, ticks, and bugs.

Answer 7

hi do not be concerned all birds have a annual moult and i believe this is what you are witnessing,to confuse you more you might also have first and second round young blackbirds in your garden who will be in different stages of undress(moulting).
i love birds and i love people like yourself who are kind,considerate and concerned,take care.

Answer 8

Well in all seriousness i'm married to a black bird and she seems to get a lot of thrush. Guess you expected that one though didn't you?

Answer 9

Thrush

Answer 10

Black Bird Disease