Disease killing off doves, pigeons

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Disease killing off doves, pigeons
By KEVIN HOWE
Herald Staff Writer

A familiar parasitic disease is decimating the Central Coast's dove and band-tailed pigeon populations.

The birds are succumbing to trichomoniasis, or canker, said Terry Palmisano, senior wildlife biologist for the state Department of Fish and Game.

The disease primarily affects doves and pigeons, she said, but can be passed on to hawks, kites and other raptors that hunt pigeons.

"We're getting good numbers of birds," Palmisano said. "We've not got a handle on how many."

She said Hastings Reserve and areas in upper Carmel Valley are reporting birds in the tens and dozens, found dead or dying on the ground. Band-tailed pigeons nest in oak woodlands at higher elevations, so quite a few that succumb are never found and their carcasses are eaten by other wildlife, including wild pigs.

Trichomoniasis is caused by a virulent strain of the single-celled protozoan parasite, Trichomonas gallinae, that gets into the lining of the birds' mouths, Palmisano said. It is then passed from bird to bird by "billing" during courtship, by shared contaminated food or water, and other close contact.

The disease causes lesions in the lining of the birds' mouths, throats and crops, she said, affecting their ability to breathe and feed.

"Sometimes the lesions almost look like large, yellow masses of cottage cheese coming out of the bird's mouth."

Gruesome as the symptoms appear, Palmisano said, there is no threat to public health. The disease doesn't spread to humans, and isn't related to avian influenza.

The disease infects species of doves, pigeons and raptors, and outbreaks occur periodically at this time of year when bird numbers reach a point that trichomoniasis can spread readily through the population, she said.

Past outbreaks occurred in Oregon, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Kansas, Missouri, Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Michigan and Florida as well as California, according to wildlife biologists.

Those who find dead birds with the symptoms, Palmisano said, should clean and sterilize bird feeders, bird baths and other man-made food or water sources where pigeons and doves are likely to congregate.

That can be done, she said, by washing feeders and containers with water and a 10 percent bleach solution and replacing old birdseed with fresh. It should only be done if birds are seen in the area.

If birds are found on the ground, she said, "We always recommend that, when handling wildlife, put on a glove."