Eating bird droppings, also known as bird poop, is generally not recommended. However, accidental ingestion can occasionally happen, especially for people who spend a lot of time outdoors. Bird droppings contain bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites that can cause diseases in humans. The most common illnesses from ingesting bird droppings are histoplasmosis, candidiasis, and salmonella. While concerning, the health risks associated with accidentally consuming a small amount of bird poop are generally low in healthy adults. This article provides an overview of bird droppings, potential health risks from ingestion, steps to take if it occurs, and tips to avoid accidental consumption.
What are bird droppings?
Bird droppings, also known as bird feces or bird poop, are the wastes excreted from a bird’s digestive system. Droppings are made up of:
– Urates – white paste containing concentrated uric acid, the product of protein metabolism in birds.
– Feces – brown portion made of undigested foods and dead gut bacteria.
– Diarrhea – loose, watery stool from dietary changes or illness.
The contents and consistency of droppings varies between bird species and depends on diet. Herbivorous birds like geese produce frequent, loose stools. Meat-eating birds like hawks pass drier, more solid feces. The famous white splattering underneath birds is actually the uric acid or urine portion rather than poop. Droppings can harbor a variety of disease-causing organisms.
What diseases could you get from ingesting bird poop?
Eating even a small amount of bird droppings can potentially make you sick. Here are some of the most common illnesses people can get from accidentally consuming bird poop:
Histoplasmosis
Histoplasmosis is caused by inhaling spores of the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum, which grows in soil contaminated with bird and bat droppings. Histoplasma can cause pneumonia-like illness when the spores are inhaled, and gastrointestinal infection if swallowed. Symptoms include fever, cough, fatigue, headache, and muscle aches appearing 3-17 days after exposure. Most people recover without treatment, though medications may be needed for severe infections.
Candidiasis
Candidiasis is a yeast infection caused by Candida species like C. albicans. Birds often carry Candida in their digestive system. Consuming the yeast from bird droppings can lead to oral thrush or esophageal infection marked by white patches and difficulty swallowing. Candidiasis is treated with antifungal medications.
Salmonella
Salmonella bacteria live in the intestines of many birds. Eating droppings contaminated with Salmonella can lead to diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps within 12-72 hours. Salmonella usually resolves on its own, but antibiotics may be prescribed for severe diarrhea or infection spreading outside the intestines.
Campylobacteriosis
Campylobacter bacteria is another organism found in bird digestive systems that can infect people. Symptoms are similar to Salmonella, including diarrhea, cramps, and fever, and it’s spread through fecal-oral contact. Most people recover without treatment.
Psittacosis
Psittacosis, also known as parrot fever, is caused by Chlamydia psittaci carried by parrots, pigeons, and other birds. If bird droppings with this bacteria are eaten, it can cause pneumonia, fever, and chills 1-4 weeks later. Psittacosis is treated with antibiotics.
E. coli
Certain strains of Escherichia coli from bird droppings can cause gastrointestinal illness when ingested. Symptoms include severe diarrhea, dehydration, and stomach cramps arising 3-4 days after exposure. Most recover without treatment, but some strains cause life-threatening kidney complications.
What are the risks of getting sick?
Many factors determine if accidentally swallowing bird droppings will make you ill, such as:
– Your age and health – Healthy adults are less likely to develop illness than young children, the elderly, or immunocompromised individuals. Underlying medical conditions increase risk.
– Type of birds – Droppings from pigeons, parrots, chickens, and ducks are more likely to contain human pathogens.
– Size of exposure – Eating a small droplet is lower risk than large amounts.
– Environment – Droppings in warm, humid climates more easily grow bacteria and fungi.
Research looking at small ingestions, like licking traces of poop off fingers, found low illness rates of 2.5% in adults. Given the small amounts, nearly all cases in healthy people resolve without complications. However, it’s impossible to guarantee safety. Those at high risk should consult a doctor after any exposure.
What should you do if you eat bird poop?
If you accidentally get bird droppings in your mouth, here are important steps to take:
– Spit it out – Immediately spit out any poop in your mouth. Do not swallow it.
– Rinse mouth – Gargle and rinse out your mouth with clean water or an antiseptic mouthwash.
– Wash hands – Thoroughly wash hands and skin that touched droppings with soap and warm water.
– Monitor health – Watch for fever, diarrhea, breathing issues, or other symptoms over the next 1-4 weeks.
– See a doctor – Consult a healthcare provider, especially if you feel sick. They can check for infections and provide treatment if needed.
– Disinfect surfaces – Clean any contaminated surfaces to prevent spread of diseases.
– Avoid cooking – Do not prepare food for others until you are symptom-free for at least 48 hours.
Getting prompt medical attention improves outcomes. However, most healthy adults recover fully without problems.
How to avoid accidentally consuming bird droppings
Here are some tips to avoid accidentally ingesting bird poop:
– Avoid areas with lots of bird droppings – Prevent contact by not walking or sitting in areas heavily contaminated with poop, like under trees or ledges where birds roost.
– Cover food and drinks – Keep foods and beverages covered or in sealed containers when dining outdoors.
– Check before eating – Inspect picnic areas, sandwiches, fruits, etc. for droppings before consuming.
– Wash hands – Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after touching any outdoor surfaces.
– Don’t touch mouth – Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth since hands can transfer poop particles.
– Clean produce – Rinse fruits and vegetables grown outdoors before eating. Peel when possible.
– Avoid sick birds – Don’t handle or come near birds that appear ill or are dead. Their droppings pose higher risks.
Staying aware of surroundings when outdoors minimizes risks of accidental ingestion. Proper hand hygiene is also key to prevent any illnesses.
Conclusion
Eating bird droppings is generally not advised due to bacteria and parasites they harbor. However, accidentally consuming a small amount, like a droplet, rarely causes illness in healthy adults. Larger exposures raise infection risks, especially in vulnerable groups like the elderly and immunocompromised. Salmonella, Histoplasmosis, Candidiasis, and E. coli are some of the main diseases people can contract. If bird poop gets in the mouth, spit it out immediately, rinse the mouth, wash exposed skin, and monitor for any concerning symptoms. Seeking medical care when sick can provide needed treatment. Avoiding areas with bird droppings and practicing good hand hygiene minimizes risks of unintended ingestion. While not recommended, accidentally swallowing a tiny amount of bird poop is unlikely to cause major health issues for most people.
Disease | Cause | Source | Symptoms | Onset |
---|---|---|---|---|
Histoplasmosis | Histoplasma fungal spores | Soil contaminated by bird/bat droppings | Fever, cough, fatigue, headaches, muscle aches | 3-17 days after exposure |
Candidiasis | Candida yeast species | Bird digestive systems | White patches in mouth/throat, difficulty swallowing | 1-2 weeks after exposure |
Salmonella | Salmonella bacteria | Intestines of many bird species | Diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps | 12-72 hours after ingestion |
Campylobacteriosis | Campylobacter bacteria | Bird digestive tracts | Diarrhea, cramps, fever | 2-5 days after ingestion |
Psittacosis | Chlamydia psittaci bacteria | Parrots, pigeons, parakeets | Pneumonia, fever, chills | 1-4 weeks after exposure |
E. coli infection | Shiga toxin-producing E. coli | Feces of many bird species | Severe diarrhea, dehydration, stomach cramps | 3-4 days after ingestion |
Key Points
- Bird droppings contain fungi, bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can cause illness in humans if ingested.
- Accidentally consuming small amounts poses low risk to healthy adults but higher risk to vulnerable groups.
- Diseases from ingesting bird poop include Histoplasmosis, Candidiasis, Salmonella, Campylobacteriosis, Psittacosis, and E. coli.
- If bird droppings enters mouth, spit out immediately, rinse mouth, wash exposed skin, monitor health, and see a doctor if sick.
- Risks can be minimized by avoiding areas with lots of poop, washing hands regularly, and not touching mouth after contact.