Date: Thu, 28 Jul 2011 04:11:02 GMT
From: Jackie Strouble
Subject: Re: Chimney swifts
Kira
You have no idea how it lifts my spirits to hear from you and all other like-minded folks who are curious and engaged and caring about the world around them… including all the other creatures who share it. You are the only really effective antidote to an apparent epidemic of spitefulness, sniping, bigotry and ignorance which seems to flood cyberspace lately. Thank you!
On a practical note: As you’ve probably figured out by now, I totally overestimated the age of your bevy of babies. You wrote “pinfeathers” but I pictured “tailfeathers.” Sorry!
And, although I don’t doubt the veracity of NA Booko’s claim that birds carry mites, I want to reassure on that score. Bird mite infestations in humans are rare. I’ve kept any number of wild birds that were in the process of being rehabbed — babies, fledglings, injured adults… I’ve even handled dead birds — and I’ve never had an occasion where bird parasites jumped species to either me or my pets. If any viable parasites did drop from chimney swifts into the ash residue of a fireplace (which seems unlikely, since their very life depends on clinging tightly to their hosts) they would find such an environment very inhospitable. I expect that they would dehydrate and die in very short order. After all, you’ve had swifts in your chimney before; yet, presumably, you’ve never had a mite problem.
Thanks so much for keeping us all updated on the saga of the baby swifts.. It is a delight to read your posts and a pleasure to learn more about these enchanting birds.
Jackie Strouble