Do Birds Carry Ticks? What Birds Mean for Lyme Disease Spread
Birds can transport ticks over long distances
Migratory species may spread infected ticks into new regions
Bird behavior may influence Lyme disease risk
Do birds carry ticks? Research suggests they do. Birds can transport ticks during migration and daily movement, potentially introducing ticks into new geographic areas and expanding Lyme disease risk.
Short answer: Yes. Birds can carry attached ticks over long distances, helping spread ticks into new geographic areas and potentially increasing Lyme disease risk.
Birds and ticks have become an important topic in Lyme disease research because migratory species may move infected ticks long distances across regions and national borders.
“We estimate that migratory birds disperse 50 million to 175 million I. scapularis [deer] ticks across Canada each spring, implicating migratory birds as possibly significant in I. scapularis range expansion in Canada,” wrote Ogden and colleagues.
A study by Scott et al., however, found that migratory songbirds specifically can disperse ticks into “new areas hundreds of kilometers away from their original source.”
Can birds carry ticks into new areas?
Scott and colleagues studied nesting songbirds to determine whether established populations of deer ticks existed in Canada, since nesting birds stay in close proximity to their nest in June and July.
“Short runs ensure that the eggs in the nest stay warm and protected from predators,” Scott writes in the article, “Monitoring of Nesting Songbirds Detects Established Population of Blacklegged Ticks and Associated Lyme Disease Endemic Area in Canada.”
“Additionally, during the fledging period, ground-foraging songbirds make hasty flights near the nest, and promptly return to feed their young.”
Researchers looked at deer ticks collected from nesting songbirds. To demonstrate an established population, investigators needed to identify at least six individual ticks from a specific area and identify two of the three life stages.
They found 63 black-legged nymphal ticks and one black-legged larval tick. In addition, researchers identified multiple life stages from a single bird within a single year.
Can birds spread Lyme disease?
Nearly half of the deer ticks collected were infected with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, the bacterium associated with Lyme disease.
According to the authors, “14 (42%) of 33 black-legged tick nymphs tested were positive.”
The findings suggest birds may contribute to geographic spread of infected ticks, although the relationship between birds, ticks, and human disease risk remains complex.
This helps explain why people sometimes encounter ticks in areas where local risk previously seemed low.
Bird surveillance may also provide a novel way to identify emerging tick populations before human cases become more common.
What the researchers recommended
- “Any individuals frequenting this area should take extra precautions to avoid tick bites, and do full-body tick checks at the end of the day.”
- “Because Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto is pathogenic to humans, anyone who is bitten by a tick or has Lyme disease symptoms should seek medical attention.”
- “Since chronic Lyme disease is a pernicious, debilitating infection, healthcare practitioners must take special steps to screen symptomatic patients for this incapacitating spirochetosis.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Do birds carry ticks?
Yes. Birds can carry attached ticks during migration and routine movement, potentially spreading ticks into new regions.
Do birds get ticks?
Many bird species host ticks, particularly migratory birds and ground-feeding birds that spend time in brush, grass, and leaf litter.
Can birds get Lyme disease?
Birds can carry infected ticks, although the degree to which birds themselves contribute to Lyme disease transmission varies among species.
Do birds bring ticks to your yard?
Birds may introduce ticks into residential environments by transporting attached ticks into yards, gardens, and wooded edges.
Do ticks bite birds?
Yes. Ticks feed on birds much like they feed on mammals and may attach during migration, nesting, or feeding behavior.
Do birds keep ticks away?
Most birds do not eliminate ticks from an area. Some birds may eat ticks, but many species can also transport attached ticks into new environments.
Clinical Takeaway
Research increasingly suggests birds and ticks play an important role in the spread of Lyme disease risk areas. Monitoring migratory and nesting birds may help explain how infected ticks appear in new locations.
Bird movement may be one reason Lyme disease risk expands faster than expected geographic models predict.
Related Articles
These articles explore tick spread, changing Lyme disease geography, and environmental factors that influence exposure risk.
Backyards at risk of migrating deer ticks
Hot spots for blacklegged ticks found in Canada
Causes for under-detection of Lyme disease in Canada
Prevention of Lyme disease
References
- Ogden NH, Barker IK, Francis CM, Heagy A, Lindsay LR, Hobson KA. How far north are migrant birds transporting the tick Ixodes scapularis in Canada? Insights from stable hydrogen isotope analyses of feathers. Ticks Tick Borne Dis. 2015;6(6):715-720.
- Scott JD, Pascoe EL, Sajid MS, Foley JE. Monitoring of Nesting Songbirds Detects Established Population of Blacklegged Ticks and Associated Lyme Disease Endemic Area in Canada. Healthcare (Basel). 2020;8(1).
Dr. Daniel Cameron, MD, MPH
Lyme disease clinician with over 30 years of experience and past president of ILADS.
Symptoms • Testing • Coinfections • Recovery • Pediatric • Prevention
