# How germy are randomly found bird feathers? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 19, 2007, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-germy-are-randomly-found-bird-feathers/408600 "2007-06-19T16:07:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-germy-are-randomly-found-bird-feathers/408600/1 "2007-06-19T16:07:59Z")
I understand that birds usually preen their dirty feathers, and other feathers may just fall out. All that I can find on the internet about touching found bird feathers cautions about the transmission of avian flu, and one site mentioned salmonella. But, as far as I understand, there are no cases of avian flu in the U.S. yet, anyway. If a little kiddo picks up a feather, can she play with it without running inside and washing hands before any other activity? Can she keep it? I understand that it’s WISE to wash hands if possible whenever handling wild animals, but in today’s fear-consumed America, is it a necessity? What’s the difference between care, caution and paranoia in this regard? I.e. - what should I tell my daughter about her child? xo, C. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-germy-are-randomly-found-bird-feathers/408600/2 "2007-06-19T18:49:22Z")
> [@CC](#): > > If a little kiddo picks up a feather, can she play with it without running inside and washing hands before any other activity? Can she keep it? Believe it or not, if the feather is from a migratory bird, it is [illegal to keep it](http://www.njaudubon.org/NatureNotes/FAQMenu.html#MBTA), according to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. I think the same applies to some other bird species such as protected songbirds. In any case, I’d be more concerned about mites and such on wild bird feathers than about avian flu. I wouldn’t recommend letting children play with them without cleaning the feathers and/or the children’s hands. (And this attitude comes from my upbringing in the much less fear-consumed America of the 1960’s and '70s, so I don’t think it can be attributed to modern hypergermophobia.) ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-germy-are-randomly-found-bird-feathers/408600/3 "2007-06-19T20:29:13Z")
[QUOTE=Kimstu] (And this attitude comes from my upbringing in the much less fear-consumed America of the 1960’s and '70s, so I don’t think it can be attributed to modern hypergermophobia.) [/QUOTE] Yep, sorry for the MPSIMS, but my mom told us in the 60s and 70s not to touch bird feathers, “they carry germs”. She had no answer for why she was sporting a found eagle feather in her hair years later. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-germy-are-randomly-found-bird-feathers/408600/4 "2007-06-19T21:45:06Z")
[QUOTE=Kimstu] Believe it or not, if the feather is from a migratory bird, it is [illegal to keep it](http://www.njaudubon.org/NatureNotes/FAQMenu.html#MBTA), according to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. I think the same applies to some other bird species such as protected songbirds. In any case, I’d be more concerned about mites and such on wild bird feathers than about avian flu. I wouldn’t recommend letting children play with them without cleaning the feathers and/or the children’s hands. … [QUOTE] How do you tell if the bird is migratory? It’s not like you can check its passport. All you have is a feather. West Nile Fever is a greater threat these days, in terms of found bird parts. There’s also lice. My county’s old courthouse was a favorite roost for city pigeons. The workers inside kept getting lice from the birds, so the county installed zigzag blades on the windowsills. Realistically, though, your kid won’t be arrested for taking home a found feather. Hand-washing and a spritz of Lysol will kill any microbial nasties from the feather. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-germy-are-randomly-found-bird-feathers/408600/5 "2007-06-19T22:05:12Z")
You can wash the feathers, too. I use a little dish soap and water. ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-germy-are-randomly-found-bird-feathers/408600/6 "2007-06-19T22:12:32Z")
[QUOTE=AskNott] How do you tell if the bird is migratory? It’s not like you can check its passport. All you have is a feather. [/QUOTE] My daughter and family live in ski country up in the mountains of Colorado. I’m guessing that just about all the birds there move to warmer climates in the winter. Ergo, what she finds on the ground is most likely from a migratory bird, even if it’s spending the summer there. At least we don’t see a lot of birds there in the winter. Just sayin’ ---
**Author:** ![JustinC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justinc/32/8083_2.png) [@JustinC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustinC)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-germy-are-randomly-found-bird-feathers/408600/7 "2007-06-19T22:54:04Z")
You should call the local bomb disposal unit upon discovering a feather of mass destruction. It is a close second to suicide bomber stray cats. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-germy-are-randomly-found-bird-feathers/408600/8 "2007-06-20T02:19:24Z")
Mites, lice and so forth seem plausible. But the idea that feathers commonly harbor germs and other pathogens dangerous to humans seems a bit less so. Perhaps this is because of my (admittedly anecdotal) experience collecting feathers as a kid. Lots of us did so, with exactly zero apparent harm. Maybe we were uncommonly lucky, but I’d need to see some evidence of feather-borne problems to be convinced. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-germy-are-randomly-found-bird-feathers/408600/9 "2007-06-20T13:43:03Z")
Bird lice are typically _species specific_. I would not worry about lice/mites on feathers, and only worry about bacteria if there is visible organic debris (bird shit) on the feather. [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0021-8790(199210)61:3\<781:CEONBL\>2.0.CO;2-H](http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0021-8790(199210)61:3%3C781:CEONBL%3E2.0.CO;2-H) ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-germy-are-randomly-found-bird-feathers/408600/10 "2007-06-20T18:31:32Z")
[QUOTE=vetbridge] visible organic debris (bird shit) [/QUOTE] 🙂 Nice cut to the chase. **White Noise** : Give it me straight, doc. You’re going to die. Don’t give this scientific mumbo-jumbo! ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-germy-are-randomly-found-bird-feathers/408600/11 "2007-06-20T19:13:16Z")
[QUOTE=vetbridge] visible organic debris (bird shit) [/QUOTE] You know he only threw in that science mumbo jumbo for us - the untrained. Among fellow vets, I’m sure it’s “bird shit” all the way.