# Can pigeons be dangerous if they fly into you?



## LondonPigeon

Today

I was walking on the street and there was some guy throwing bread on the floor for pigeons, there was a group of birds there

but as I was walking without seeing anything, a pigeon flew extremely close to my face  I dont think the bird touched me, but if they did would it be dangerous if the ferals have disease or mites? etc

and maybe they could be dangerous for the eyes becuase of their feet claws?


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## Skyeking

Hi LP,

I really don't think there is any danger of you catching anything from the birds, nor do they make a habit of running into people or wanting to run into people. It would hurt them too.

I wouldn't worry about them clawing you, because they tuck their feet back neatly when flying. The only thing I worry about when I feed mine and let them into their lunch room, is that they might run into each other as they all want to eat at once, quite a "feeding frenzy". Sometimes they will fly close by, and then I just protect my eyes because a feather or two might flap in the eye, but usually that is only a couple of pigeons I worry about doing that, They are blind in one eye and they do get close sometimes, if I'm in their path to the lunch room, and on their blind side.


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## ZigZagMarquis

... well... if they happened to fly into your face and they happened to put their feet out to block the impact and they happened to get you in the eye with a claw... well... maybe... but I'd say that all would be a bit of a stretch / freak accident that I wouldn't worry about too much especially if you wear any kind of eye glasses or sunglasses... now if you're talking inner city street thug pigeons that have been known to pack brass knuckles or switch blades, that's a different story...


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## LondonPigeon

Trees Gray said:


> Hi LP,
> 
> I really don't think there is any danger of you catching anything from the birds, nor do they make a habit of running into people or wanting to run into people. It would hurt them too.
> 
> I wouldn't worry about them clawing you, because they tuck their feet back neatly when flying. The only thing I worry about when I feed mine and let them into their lunch room, is that they might run into each other as they all want to eat at once, quite a "feeding frenzy". Sometimes they will fly close by, and then I just protect my eyes because a feather or two might flap in the eye, but usually that is only a couple of pigeons I worry about doing that, They are blind in one eye and they do get close sometimes, if I'm in their path to the lunch room, and on their blind side.


its good they tuck their feet

but maybe they the ferals carry disease? 
thats why i would never want to touch them, only would want to touch someones pet who is clean


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## battler

pigeons aren't really dangerous if they fly into you, only if they roll form a high height and somehow manage to hit you, but that is never going to happen, unless if you breed them...


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## TAWhatley

LondonPigeon said:


> but maybe they the ferals carry disease?
> thats why i would never want to touch them, only would want to touch someones pet who is clean


They may well carry disease or be horribly injured. Still, after taking in and treating and caring for many, many hundreds of pigeons by now (both feral and domestic), I've never gotten sick from any of them and (knock on wood) never had a sick one give its disease to any other birds around here. The risk of pigeons giving a human diseases is very small especially if you are careful about hygiene. In your scenario, such a quick contact with a feral pigeon would be so unlikely to result in you catching anything or having a problem of any sort that it's defies my logic or imagination.

People having such irrational fears or concerns about birds and animals is so very harmful to those very creatures. Humans are, by far, the most dangerous and destructive creature on this planet, IMO.

Terry


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## Camrron

Very nicely put Terry. Sometimes you blow my mind by just getting to the nut of the question and putting the information into the right perspective.

Good simple hygeine is common sense whenever dealing with sick animals or birds (or people) It is important to keep up with hand washing and there should not be many fears of contracting bird or human illness in this way. 

Londonpigeon, birds don't cough and spread germs like people. They do sometimes carry worms and parasites though. These can be a risk to you but only if you accidentally ingest bird feces. Again, keep your hands clean and away from your mouth if handling birds. There is also a conjuntivitis that can be contracted by people, so don't touch your eyes after handling a sick bird. Basic precautions will mean you will not suffer any perils. As for being brushed up against by a bird.....it is more dangerous riding the bus in the wintertime with flu-bitten people than getting a full body slam from a pigeon so try to relax.

Cameron


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## TAWhatley

*A Postscript For LP ..*

LP,

It finally dawned on me that you are a young person. Sorry that I have addressed you as an adult, but that was when I thought your thought process was. I think I am entirely right .. you are a very smart young person, so learn from here, and learn from the fact that we folks who like pigeons can "band" together and get the job done .. the Middleton ones ..

If you go out upon life with a fear of wild things, then you will have missed some of the most wonderful encounters you could ever conceive. Don't let people turn you off on animals or birds .. just get turned off on the people who may be trying to take advantage of you and of the birds and animals. You have a lot of unfounded fears about things .. go .. be .. learn .. tell others.

We're here to help, but you've got to be the one to do it yourself. 

Have you ever held a duck and know how soft they are? Have you ever really touched a pigeon and know how sweet they are? Don't miss these things .. life has a way of giving you what you need and also giving you challenges .. 

Terry


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## John_D

LondonPigeon -

Statistically you have a far, far better chance of getting mugged in the UK than getting sick from contact with a pigeon.

Now that* is* scary!

John


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## LondonPigeon

I've never held birds in my hand which is a shame becuase I want to 
I'm sure they are soft and warm.

If a pigeon accidently touches me, I'll wash my hands.


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## LondonPigeon

TAWhatley said:


> LP,
> 
> It finally dawned on me that you are a young person. Sorry that I have addressed you as an adult, but that was when I thought your thought process was. I think I am entirely right .. you are a very smart young person, so learn from here, and learn from the fact that we folks who like pigeons can "band" together and get the job done .. the Middleton ones ..
> 
> 
> Terry


BTW, I'm 21, so I'm not that young


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## westy

i think they wouldent hurt you i find the young birds have sharp feet but not old ones.


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## andinla

*I get this type of question all the time*

especially young kids at my school who were told (taught) from their parents that pigeons are diseased. For instance Friday I found a pigeon who was all alone in the field next door to my work and I walked up to it and caught it without a struggle. I went to put him in a box and a fourth grader said to me how do you know that it doesn't have Rabies? which then led to a co-worker calling my boss to let her know I was storing a injured/sick pigeon in the bathroom.... I'm sorry but I am so sick of people believing they are diseased and their comments are starting to irk me the wrong way...l Do they feel this way about sparrows? any other birds? I don't think they do... 

I'm sorry your young like Terry mentioned, Maybe you can educate people your age about pigeons now that you know the truth regarding health issues.

Before I had a pet pigeon who is by the way disease free and yes soft and warm too. He was a flying feral pigeon. He was attacked by a huge flying raptor who tried to eat him, but he managed to get away.. I found him barely able to walk two steps before falling over. I took him home nursed him back to health, and not once did I see a mite , or any other strange looking insect on him. Not once was I worried he might give me a disease. He has been in my house since November and no one in my family has gotten sick from him..

Andi


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## LondonPigeon

andinla said:


> especially young kids at my school who were told (taught) from their parents that pigeons are diseased. For instance Friday I found a pigeon who was all alone in the field next door to my work and I walked up to it and caught it without a struggle. I went to put him in a box and a fourth grader said to me how do you know that it doesn't have Rabies? which then led to a co-worker calling my boss to let her know I was storing a injured/sick pigeon in the bathroom.... I'm sorry but I am so sick of people believing they are diseased and their comments are starting to irk me the wrong way...l Do they feel this way about sparrows? any other birds? I don't think they do...
> 
> I'm sorry your young like Terry mentioned, Maybe you can educate people your age about pigeons now that you know the truth regarding health issues.
> 
> Before I had a pet pigeon who is by the way disease free and yes soft and warm too. He was a flying feral pigeon. He was attacked by a huge flying raptor who tried to eat him, but he managed to get away.. I found him barely able to walk two steps before falling over. I took him home nursed him back to health, and not once did I see a mite , or any other strange looking insect on him. Not once was I worried he might give me a disease. He has been in my house since November and no one in my family has gotten sick from him..
> 
> Andi



it's good that those birds are not diseased

My mother doesnt like them at all, and the main reason is becuase she thinks theyre all diseased, maybe thats where I got the idea from, also all the newsmedia people, and that quite a few london freals are 'blackened' from pollution


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## John_D

Fact is, pigeons do get illnesses, but 99% of the things they can get can only be caught from them by other pigeons. 

I can only think of one thing which we could get directly from a sick pigeon, and I have only seen one case actually reported here in the UK (specifically from a pigeon) in maybe 15 years. It is actually a form of a disease called Psittacosis. It is not particularly often found anyway, but when it is found, it is most usually seen in Parrots and other birds of the parrot family. 

A study was done in the USA over a 10 year period from sometime in the mid 80s to the mid 90s.Of those cases (where people have gotten sick) many of them were from parrots and the like which were illegally brought into the country. Other victims owned 'legal' birds or worked with them in pet stores. I'm not sure pigeons even got a mention as being a specific reported cause.

In North America, pigeons get blamed for something called Histoplasmosis, which is actually a flu-like thing caused by a fungus found in the soil (in many parts of the USA, anyway). What is not often mentioned is that pretty much any birds (or animals, or people's shoes) can carry the fungal spores about. Thing is, it is not actually a bird disease at all - birds don't get it.

Unfortunately, pigeons usually get singled out when media alarmists get going - or when pest controllers want to drum up business!

Anyone should wash their hands after contact with any brd or animal, wild or domestic, obviously sick or apparently healthy. It's just plain common sense. For instance, cats can pass on pasteurella in their saliva and a cat scratch or bite should definitely be treated with antiseptic or even seen by a doctor. The danger of infection from an animal is far more possible in one's own home than from a chance encounter outside!

John


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## LondonPigeon

It's ashame pigeons get all this negative media attention and abuse 

I also heard that pigeons cant catch the avian flu? but I dont know how, as a cat got it as well


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## Whitefeather

LondonPigeon said:


> I've never held birds in my hand which is a shame becuase I want to
> *I'm sure they are soft and warm.*
> 
> If a pigeon accidently touches me, I'll wash my hands.


Yes, indeed, they are very soft. There is one feral in particular, that comes to eat every morning, who has a mangled foot (was that way from day one) & he now hops on to my hand when I open the door. He is such a love & ever so soft. 
As has been mentioned, I wash my hands when I'm finished feeding the guys & have had no problems.

I do wish the general public would take a little time & learn about our wondrous pigeons. Find out the facts rather than believing the fiction. Then perhaps more ill & injured birds would be rescued & offered proper treatment.  

Cindy


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## re lee

Yes they can be very dangerous. They can really scare you. Years ago. I was going to toss my young bird team at work. Now where I worked we pulled a prank or so every so often. Had fun at work. I decide to hide and turn the birds out when a work mate walked by. It could not have worked out better. He was walking up in between to vehicles. I released the birds. They turned and all flew right at him. He did not know what to think He let out a loud yell and turned and started runnning away. After we all had a good laugh about it. But he was for a moment scared enough to run. BUT in real life. Pigeons will be pretty safe not to try and run into any body. And it would not be a health risk.. At least Other then a slight scare maybe.


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## Maggie-NC

Now Robert  wasn't that naughty?

Maggie


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## LuisO

From personal experiance stay away from a full grown Lahore in flight. My one came in for a landing from flying around the house and I was shaking the can and instead of going into the loft he crashed right into my chest and knocked me down to the ground!! He was fine of course eating the seed off the ground. LOL


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## feralpigeon

Yes, Maggie, Robert was _ naughty_ . 
New Orleans has these cockroaches that are humungous and can fly. One day,
one flew past me scraping against my arm as it went by. When I looked down,
my arm had been scratched and was bleeding where it brushed against me in flight. So, for me, I'd worry more about flying cockroaches  

fp


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## TerriB

LondonPigeon said:


> its good they tuck their feet
> 
> but maybe they the ferals carry disease?
> thats why i would never want to touch them, only would want to touch someones pet who is clean


Maybe you could find someone in your area who has a pet pigeon so you could see what neat animals pigeons really are!


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## Pigeonpal2002

LOL...those were both great stories, Robert and Luis Yes, a lot of people have a fear of birds, especially when they are flying near them. And Luis, that must have been one big lahore!!! LOL


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## LuisO

Brad, he was a good size lahore, they just never really have much control when they are excited I guess. Such beautiful birds when they fly and my newest youngster is so precious to me I dont even like him going out but he thinks hes a homer/roller and scares the heck outa me, because the hawks have been around. Everyone gets to go out the cage and right away he thinks he can go along with them. LOL I'll be getting a girl to keep him busy in the flight, hopefully later today or tomorrow! Luis


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## Mistifire

As for your question about mites ect. usually the little crawlies that like birds dont like people or dogs or cats... Most bugs are host specific, he wouldnt get much from you if the food he needs is feather dust.  

You would be more likely to catch something from riding a public bus with the people sharing the seats and sneezing in the air.

Feral pigeons have better hygene than some humans I have met. I just carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer with me.


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