Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

My child is trying to do a project on the dangers (if any) of collecting wild bird feathers. We have been finding a lot of conflicting information as to whether mites/lice are species specific enough that they would not bite humans, if bacteria on feathers will or will not cause hazards to humans or even if feathers could harbor enough A(H5N1) or avian flu to infect someone. We are fully aware of the Migratory Bird Act of 1918 but we are more looking for the real answers because for every website that we have found that says one thing there is another that directly contradicts the information!

Hi mouslyn,

I am sorry it took so long to get a response to you. You have a great question. One way to assess risk is to compare it to other risks. For example, you can calculate how likely it is that you will get struck by lightening, get in a car crash, win the lottery, etc. Likewise, you can estimate how many people handle bird feathers and how many documented cases of disease transmission there are. You can even look at this is a small group - like your local town, during the time west nile virus was killing birds - it is easier to answer a more focused question about time, location and virus than to consider all birds and pathogens everywhere.

I hope that helps. Let me know what other questions you have, as you work through this.

Tonya