bird ticks

[kennelmaid]

found a baby swift that was covered in what I think were ticks. They were large and spider like and running all over it (yuck). As it was in the garden I don't know if they were on it when it fell out of the nest or were actually in my lawn. A local vet had to put the bird down.

[The Woodman]

Hi kennelmaid and welcome to WAB

I'm pretty sure the bugs you saw on the swift will have been louse flies, probably a little jasper called by its' scientific name of Crataerina pallida - it has no common name.

These blood sucking parasites live on swifts and the larvae and pupa can be found in their nest sites when the swifts have migrated to warmer climates. The flies hatch and infest the swift when they return to their nest sites in late spring.

I agree, they are creepy things. There are several species of similar flies that are host specific and live on mammals and birds.

[kennelmaid]

Thank you. At least I know what they were now.

[Cowgirl]

Could also have been wingless flies. Or am I talking out of my behind & they are the same thing you've just said Woodman?

Where I used to work I once saw a young just fledged house martin that had landed then literally just died outside our canteen portakabin, I went out to pick it up & all these things came scurrying out, should have heard me shriek! Took it to our resident entomologist & he identified them, they were the ugliest most horrible things I've ever seen. We decided that the bird could have died of blood loss as there were no injuries. Poor thing!

Apparently they or the eggs (can't remember) overwinter in the nests waiting for the next breeding season & then then feed on the adults & babies. The advice was that either knock down the nests when they leave for sunnier climates or spray the nests just before they arrive. We then sent our farm manager on a campaign to knock down all the nests at the end of the year. The next year they did come back & rebuild.

[The Woodman]

One and the same, Cowgirl. They are weird insects and suprisingly fleet of foot.

[kennelmaid]

Thanks for the onfo everyone. I didn't know about these things and now I do I,m never going into the garden again
Yuck yuck yuck

[Dogghound]

Yes birds are covered in all sorts of weird and not so wonderful parasites. It is common to find mites, lice, ticks, flat/louse-flies etc on them. Ive found nests completely crawling with them although in most cases they have little impact on the bird.