# Do Pigeons carry ticks?



## Litewings (Mar 17, 2007)

Has anyone *ever had or heard of a pigeon having or carrying ticks?* My wife asked me this last night. I've never seen one on any of my birds buts now she has me wondering. In the past 4 months we've seen three on the floor that we believe have fallen off our indoor dog at the end of their life cycle and are now concerned about where they may have come from. What do you guys think?


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## Knoc (Jul 10, 2010)

I dont think they embed like they will on a person because of the feather thickness and coverage, but Im sure they can carry them. I have hunted pheasants that had them crawling on them before.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

I have never seen a tick on a pigeon but they are common on collared doves in the UK which are affected just as dogs are and pick them up from the same source: vegetation. In is much more likely that your dog picked up a tick from vegetation than form pigeons because different types of ticks, like other parasites, show a preference for specific species.


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## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

I have heard of it, but never seen one. And as Feefo said, tick may be species specific so the tick for pigeons is not necessarily the same tick as for dogs. Now can pigeons carry them? They may. I think we can carry that one, too.


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## chayi (May 1, 2010)

Knoc said:


> I dont think they embed like they will on a person because of the feather thickness and coverage, but Im sure they can carry them. I have hunted pheasants that had them crawling on them before.


Same here i have hunted ducks and they had them crawling on them and has goten on my dogs mouth and nose when she brings me the ducks.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Litewings said:


> Has anyone *ever had or heard of a pigeon having or carrying ticks?* My wife asked me this last night. I've never seen one on any of my birds buts now she has me wondering. In the past 4 months we've seen three on the floor that we believe have fallen off our indoor dog at the end of their life cycle and are now concerned about where they may have come from. What do you guys think?


ticks live on vegetation untill a host comes by and then they get on them..like your dog.. pigeons can get them, but not usual, usually a small one can latch on around the eye cere, but you would notice it... there is frontline and advantix that you put on your dog every month to keep the ticks at bay..


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