Folks I've been asked about the Source of my recent letter concerning tick-carrying birds. Herewith, the entry in its entirety: Sar
"Several recent studies demonstrate that wild birds transport ticks and their associated diseases during migration. In addition, a number of bird species are able to contract Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium causing Lyme disease, and transport it to uninfected ticks that parasitize the birds for a blood meal. Ground feeding species (cardinals, catbirds, song sparrows, robins) spend a significant amount of time foraging for food at optimal height for ticks, and are excellent hosts and have all demonstrated the ability to infect ticks with the Lyme-disease causing bacteria. "Naturally Curious Day By Day....A Photographic Field Guide and Daily Visit to the Forests, Fields, and Wetlands of Eastern North America" by Mary Holland Pete Saracino -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
