# spider or fly on pigeon



## Rick Space (May 28, 2002)

We raised a baby pigeon, pulled from the nest by the neighborhood boys and with your help he's doing fine. However, we saw what we thought was a spider that quickly burrowed into the feathers when we tried to remove it. We got a bird bug spray and did not see it for a few weeks. Then we saw it again (Angel now flys out on his own and back when he wants),but this time I thought it may be a fly but not your common fly - very low stance almost square looking. It still appears to burrow under the feathers but I thought I saw it fly off one time. Any Data/thoughts out there on this [possible] problem? Thanks for your support.


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## meliso (Jul 5, 2002)

You know, I just found a baby with little bugs and it also had that big weird fly type of bug that fell off of it but I didn't think anything of it. I just thought it landed on it for a minute. I guess those could live on them, too. Well, Ray told me to get "sevin dust " at the garden cennter or Permethrin dust at the vet. for the little ones. it will probably work for those.
Meliss


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## raynjudy (Aug 22, 2000)

Hello and welcome!









Can you please describe the "bird bug spray" that you used?

--Ray


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## Nooti (Mar 14, 2002)

These are hippoboscid flies. They are parasitic blood sucking flies which live on birds. They do need to be eliminated and watch you don't get one on you. The intense itching this causes is almost unbearable.


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## nAngelAlwyz (Jul 23, 2002)

no offense, but that is just funny...when I used to have a bird she had bugs on her...different kinds actually(ewe). But she manages to take them off on her own. It's all natural, all birds have bugs on them.










Laura ~


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## Eileen (Aug 17, 2002)

Funny you guys should post this now. I have very little pigeon experience so I mostly just follow posts. I am interning at a vet office, and this week a pure white pigeon came in with 2 broken legs.
While I was fixing it up, I noticed it
a) had lice. Yuck.
But later, I too saw this bug I thought was a fly, & tried to shoo it off the bird when it sneakily like a roach burrowed into the feathers. I was totally grossed out so I grabbed forceps & somehow flicked it out of the feathers. 
I showed it to the vets and they said it was a "pigeon fly", and it's very common. They didn't know much more about it but I found it interesting so I looked up more on it.

I think it's a louse fly, but whatever you want to call it it is a bloodsucking parasite and it's very sneaky, it seeks to get away from you. They're pretty big too! I can't imagine having one living on me.
But thanks for the info on not getting the bug on ourselves, there is not a lot of info on this & I never saw anything on it.
I know that all birds have bugs & parasites, and though lice are gross, I don't think they're dangerout, the feather lice just live off the feathers & skin, from what I've read. But these fly things can carry disease and are bloodsuckers, & they should be eliminated from your birds.

The Veterinary Merck Manual said that pigeon flies are responsible for death in large amounts of squab, and have something to do with pigeon malaria. They said it's important to clean your coop if you see this.
Of course, real life is always more helpful than a book, so it's good to know about that
seven dust.

Sorry this is long but it was my two cents on the subject, and I just learned it this week.

[This message has been edited by Eileen (edited September 01, 2002).]


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## Eileen (Aug 17, 2002)

Sorry, I did a repeat by mistake. 

[This message has been edited by Eileen (edited September 01, 2002).]


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## Nooti (Mar 14, 2002)

Here's some info I found -

Hippoboscids

aka. Flatflies or louseflies

Related to keds. Many species found on birds including Pseudolynchia spp (Pseudolynchia canariensis (Pigeon Louse Fly) and Ornithomyia spp. Not host specific. Some species are wingless, others able to fly. Some complete lifecycle on host while others spend time in nests/ crevices and may lay eggs off the host. Blood-sucking. These may cause pruritus and in severe cases may cause an anaemia (especially in young birds). Their main significance is in the spread of blood parasites (eg Haemoproteus spp and Leucocytozoon spp) and the transfer of mites and lice between individuals.

Diagnosis: easily recognised as large flies flattened dorso-ventrally.


They are sensitive to antiparasitic sprays suitable for birds. Hope this helps


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## fred2344 (Jan 9, 2002)

Hi,
Nooti named the fly. I call it the "pigeon fly." I hate those things. They are built like tanks and you can't even use a fly swatter if they are on a wall. They are that protected. I have to crush them. Lots of fun there!!! They can carry a type of malaria to the pigeon so it's best to dust the bird with a pyrethrin powder to kill them.


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## maryco (Apr 1, 2002)

I also hate those things..Once I was sitting out on the balcony feeding the pigeons(Who came right infront of me) and I tried to catch a pigeon and then I see this big flat thing come out on her back from under the wing and run back under..EWE!! It scared me to death! I never wanted to touch a pigeon again!..Then I had babies on the balcony and I usually put little ties on one foot to know who they are and so I carried one over to the window for my sister to put it on and THERE IT WAS that bug came from under the stomach area and flew almost into the house when my sister slamed the screen shut and there he was on the screen..They are so fast and I have no idea how they look because I just see some flat thingy..Does anyone have a close detailed pic? I'm just curious ..Do they have legs?

Mary


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## Danielle Chase (Jun 26, 2002)

I have never seen any type of bugs on Eggbert, but I'm sure it's because he's never been with any other birds. He likes to look out the window, but doesn't care to be outside for any length of time, so I rarely let him outside. DC


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## turkey (May 19, 2002)

I would also like to see a picture of this "pigeon fly". 

I was petting Turkey (in the vet's office) and I saw a feather run back into Turkey's neck area. The vet told me it was a feather mite. 

Julie


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## Eileen (Aug 17, 2002)

> Originally posted by maryco:
> I'm just curious ..Do they have legs?
> 
> Mary[/B]


Yes they do. They are totally gross. I got a really good look at the one I found, and it looks like a flat little fly, has legs (with which it crawls really fast under the bird's feathers.
It totally grossed me out too and it took me a while to pick the bird up again.

As far as how to kill it, dont ask me how I did this, but somehow I grabbed the thing with forceps and somebody in the vet practice just burned it. I am told you cannot even squish them.

I am NOT a big advocate of hurting/burning anything, but I couldn't kill it & it really skeeved me out.

See, now I am itchy again! :> )



[This message has been edited by Eileen (edited September 03, 2002).]


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