Contact with bird droppings poses serious health risks and exposure to incurable diseases.

If you have areas where birds congregate on your property, there is reason for concern.

The only sure way to avoid these debilitating diseases is to avoid contact with these droppings or to prevent the droppings from occurring in the first place.

As the line between man and nature becomes increasingly blurred, many of you may find that contact with wildlife is a part of daily life.

Most of these encounters are an enriching part of your day. The sight of a cardinal in your bird feeder or a fleeting glimpse of a wild fox or raccoon surely adds excitement or joy to anyone’s day.

Problems can arise when these encounters become more frequent or more concentrated. For some, this issue is in the form of critters of the avian variety.

Yes, we are talking about birds, and they can be a threat to your health.

Birds may frequently roost or congregate on your roof, dock, boat, or in your patio area. The accumulated droppings can become more than just a nuisance. These droppings may carry serious diseases that can endanger your family, friends, and even pets.

We have all heard of Salmonella, which we typically associate with undercooked poultry or eggs. This bacterial disease can also be spread through bird fluids including droppings.

Salmonella can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea or even go undetected. In some cases, humans may unknowingly carry the disease and transmit it to others. The treatment generally consists of antibiotics, but may require the removal of the gallbladder to fully cure.

There are other lesser known diseases that are transmitted by bird feces for which no known cures exist.

Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease that, if left untreated, can lead to blindness. Other diseases can infect the respiratory system after breathing in the dust or spores contained in bird droppings.

Histoplasmosis and Blastomycosis are two such fungal diseases. Histoplasmosis can lead to the loss of vision and chronic bronchitis/pneumonia-like symptoms. Blastomycosis begins as lesions to the lungs and skin before spreading to the bones, liver, and nervous system. Again, there are treatments for these diseases but no cure.

To ensure your safety and the safety of those you love, you should avoid touching or breathing bird droppings of any kind.

To further minimize your risk, you should consider placing bird deterring devices in areas where birds typically congregate or where droppings are a problem.

Safe and effective products are available that do not harm the birds but will aid in eliminating the mess and health hazards associated with bird droppings.

Having the right birding supply essentials is crucial for enjoying bird watching during any time of year. This article will look at some of these must have birding supplies to help you on your next outing.

Waterproof Equipment – Obviously, you always should prepare for a change in weather. If you’ve ever went through a rainstorm without rain gear, then you know how fast this can ruin any birding trip. Put this up near the top of your list.

Binoculars – Another birding supply essential. A good pair of binoculars is a must for obvious reasons.

Clothes And Shoes – Being comfortable is essential in enjoying any bird watching outing. Because you will be doing a lot of walking through all sorts of terrain, a good pair of hiking shoes is an absolute must. Waterproof pants and jackets are also a good idea as well.

Bird Log or Bird Book – You want to know what type of bird you’re looking at right? Then don’t forget to take along the bird guide. You can also find bird watching starter kits that include most all of these items for you. From binoculars to bird books. These kits are nice for those just starting out birding.

First Aid Kit And Maps – Always be prepared for accidents. A good first aid kit is a necessity. It’s also a good idea to have maps, compass, and even a cell phone to help in the event you become lost or have an accident.

Food And Water – Another birding supply essential. Take along plenty of fresh water and snacks while you are bird watching. You will get hungry at times.

Backpack – Finally, you will have to have a good backpack to store everything in. Look for one that is waterproof and has lots of storage compartments.

With a little planning you’ll have no problem getting together the birding supply essentials you need. It will make your next bird watching trip a lot of fun.

All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active and do not edit the article in any way.

Why?

During a bird pandemic you should remain as isolated from everybody outside your family as possible. Therefore, you should shop only for necessities: food, water, fuel and medicine.

Where?

Therefore, you should go only to a supermarket, drug store, gas station, convenience store or discount store.

A bird flu pandemic is not the time to buy furniture, clothes, electronic toys or tools. It’s not a good time to hang out at the mall.

When?

Go during the slowest periods possible, so you will be exposed to as few people as possible. Check out your area to learn what stores stay open 24 hours a day. Which ones are open until late at night? Or start early in the morning?

Go at the time you’ll most likely be the only one in the store except for a few employees.

How?

Gasoline may be in limited supply or totally out of stock. So you should not drive far.

Of course, you must make trade offs. If there’s a Wal-Mart open all night but it’s 3 miles away, that’s worth driving to at 4 AM so you’ll be alone except for the cashiers and the floor cleaners. However, driving to a store twenty miles away would use up too much gasoline.

Also, if you’re going to walk to the store to save gasoline, do so only during the day. Yes, you may be exposed to more people, but they’re less likely to rob you or worse. During a bird flu pandemic you cannot depend on law and order, so don’t go out after dark unless you are in your car.

What?

Bottled water

Canned vegetables

Canned fruit

Sauerkraut — good for encouraging growth of favorable bacteria in you, to discourage growth of H5N1. If you’re in Asia, substitute Kim Chi.

Hand operated can openers

Garlic

Onions

Pre-cooked meats

Raw meat only for as long as you have electricity and/or gas to cook it with.

Fresh vegetables

Fresh fruit

Horseradish

Ginger root

Dried meat

Cheese — low-fat preferred

Eggs

Fresh milk

Canned and dry milk

Canned fish

Canned meat

Quality vitamins and supplements, especially Vitamin C, selenium, zinc, Omega-3, lysine, beta glucan, Vitamin E, beta-carotene, Vitamin Bs, super green foods containing chlorophyl, ginseng, reservatrol, magnesium, DHEA, quercetin, bioflavanoids

Yogurt

Soap

Alcohol wipes

Antiseptic hand lotions

Propane

Kerosene

First aid supplies, including tea tree oil and NuSkin

Cold packs

Vaporizers

Toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoos — all personal care items

Toilet paper and diapers

Household soaps and detergents

Magazines and paperback books to read

Leave behind:

Gimmicks herbs that don’t increase your immune system functioning

Sugar and all sweet snacks and candy

Bread

Rice

Spaghetti and all noodles and pastas

Cigarettes

Alcohol

Fruit juices

Soft drinks

Reduce your risk of catching bird flu and strengthen your immune system to survive in case you do catch it.

Anything that increases your risk of catching bird flu is bad, as is anything that weakens your immune system.

A bird flu pandemic is not the time to be undisciplined and self-indulgent.

The pandemic is out of your personal control — but you increases your odds of surviving by the actions you take.

Do you ever have a day when you have nothing to do ?, You know them times when your on the internet in some chat room, and you type ‘ I’m bored ! ‘, or your flipping through the TV channels, and you say to yourself or out loud ‘ 250 channels, and nothing good to watch ! ‘, yes, you know what I am talking about. Now you have something you can do on them so called boring days, go bird watching.

No matter where you live you probably have birds of some kind, even folks in New York have central park and other places where they can go bird watching. There are three things you should have when bird watching, these are a pair of binoculars, a notebook, and a bird guide.

Binoculars can be purchased for under $60 at most Kmart or Walmart stores. Binoculars with a magnification of 10 x 50 are perfect for bird watching. Don’t think that a more powerful pair of binoculars like 20 x 60 or 30 x 80 are better, this is not the case. Stronger binoculars are fine if you are into star gazing, but they are horrible for bird watching. The higher powered binoculars need a tripod to use them without shaking, and even without a tripod, the powerful binoculars are larger and can be very heavy to carry around, the 10 x 50 ones are perfect for every occasion.

A small tablet or notebook can be purchased at most stores, don’t get nothing expensive just a small spiral one will do fine. Now the last thing is the most important item when it comes to bird watching. If you are truly going to watch birds, you should know what type of birds you are looking at when you spot a new one, so visit your local book store or look in the birding section of an online bookstore, such as amazon, at the end of this article I have a website address that has some of Amazons best bird guides, videos, binoculars and more.

Ok, so you have your binoculars, notebook and pencil, and your bird guide, now let’s go outside and go bird watching. I am sure you won’t have to walk very far to spot a bird or two. I am lucky enough to currently live here in the country, all I have to do is open my door and I will hear the sounds of birds. If I step outside my front door, I can often see sparrows or finches, in the spring time the yard always has a couple robins hopping around, and crows flying around the nearby woods, high overhead I often see turkey buzzards soaring against the blue sky. One time I opened my front door and across the road in the top of a large tree a horned owl was sitting, it stayed there for about 10 minutes, turning it’s head often as it looked around.

If you have any grassy, wooded or open areas with trees or bushes, you can usually find birds. One of the best things about bird watching is anyone can do it, even if your in a wheelchair, you can sit and watch birds. It’s a great recreation for anyone that is alone, or for the whole family to do together.

When you go out, remember to take your bird watching items with you, your binoculars, notebook and pencil, and bird guide. When you spot a bird look in your binoculars too see all it’s beauty in close detail, if you do not recognize the species of bird your seeing, get out your bird guide and look it up. When you realize the type of bird you see, write down in your notebook the following information; ‘ the name of the bird, the area where it was spotted, the date, and time ‘. The information in your notebook, helps you understand what types of birds frequent your area, it also is pretty neet being able to read back and see when you spotted a new or rare bird.

If you have a yard, tree or even a window you can attract birds by installing a simple feeder. Bird feeders are very inexpensive and they have feeders that can hang on a tree branch, or fence, or even stick to the outside of a window.

Attracting different species of birds often requires different types of bird seed and other food. Hummingbirds are attracted to red, pink and orange flowers, they especially like trumpet vines or other tubular-flowered plants, they are also very attracted to hummingbird feeders filled with sugar water or red sweetened kool-aid. Robins like mowed lawns, so in the spring and summer if you want to see robins, mow your grass, the birds come looking for bugs and earthworms that are more easily accessible because you cut the grass length. Goldfinches love thistle seed, thistle is more expensive then most common bird seed, but you cannot beat it if you want to attract goldfinches. Blue Jays are large and sometimes noisy, but if you want to bring them, put out a feeder full of black oil sunflower seeds. Cardinals are very neat looking, there is nothing nicer than looking out the window in the winter, and seeing a bright red cardinal sitting on a nearby tree branch or feeder. Cardinals are like Blue Jays, in that they both love a diet of black oil sunflower seeds. If you want to attract sparrows, a bag of plain mixed bird seed will do just fine.

There is Computer Software that is made just for ‘ Bird Watching ‘. The software is called: ‘ Bird Watcher Professional ‘, you can read the details and download a trial version of it for free at this website address:

http://www.rb59.com/bwpro

Here is a website address that has some of the best Bird Guides (Books), Videos, Binoculars and other birding equipment that Amazon sells:

http://www.rb59.com/bwpro/bird-watching-information.html

By Robert W. Benjamin

Copyright © 2006

You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter or on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and without modification except for formatting needs or grammar corrections.

One difference between the threat of bird flu today and the 1918 flu is that in 1918 we did not have a large number of people with extremely weak immune systems.

Before antibiotics, people with really weak immune systems tended not to survive childhood.

Today, we have:

Many people who are deliberately taking drugs to reduce the strength of the immune systems, because they’ve had organ transplants.

Many more people who have weakened immune systems because they’re undergoing chemo or radiation treatment for cancer. There’re millions of such patients around the globe.

And yet many other people who are infected with the HIV virus, which weakens immune systems by infecting CD4 (or T-4) cells. According to the United Nations World Health Organization, there were 40.3 million HIV+ people in the world by the end of 2005.

We also have more people with severe chronic diseases such as heart disease, simply because we have more treatments to keep them alive.

That’s a total of many millions of people who must avoid all contact with bird flu during a pandemic.

And that is the best protection — avoid all contact with bird flu.

And that means avoiding contact with as many people as possible. Because during a pandemic anybody could have the virus. It infects you from 1 to 2 days before you know you’re sick, and you shed the most virus in the 2 to 5 days after infection.

There are no flu vaccines specifically for contagious bird flu, and they will likely not be produced until 6 months after the pandemic begins, which will be far too late for many people. And the virus will mutate more as it continues to spread and replicate, so it’s unlikely we’ll ever have an influenza vaccine that exactly matches the strain of H5N1 we’re exposed to. And it mutates and recombines so quickly that during a pandemic several different strains could be spreading at the same time.

Tamiflu may help these people more than others, because it does directly interfere with the bird flu virus’ ability to infect the cells of your respiratory tract. Unfortunately, we don’t yet know exactly how much Tamiflu is needed to fully protect against bird flu. And it’s quite likely that strains of the virus will develop resistance to Tamiflu — if they haven’t already.

Relenza works much like Tamiflu, except it’s inhaled. This reduces its effectiveness against H5N1 because it goes to the upper respiratory tract, but the virus likes to infect cells in the lower respiratory tract. Its makers are not working on creating an injectable form of it.

People with poor immune systems must do everything they can to avoid the virus. Reduce contact with people and wash their hands at least once an hour.

They should also do everything they can to keep up their general health: sleep a lot, eat a good balance of proteins, vegetables and fruit while avoiding sweets and starchy carbohydrates, stop smoking, reduce alcohol, exercise moderately and maintain a positive attitude.

They should also take immune boosting and strengthening food supplements: Omega-3, zinc, selenium, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, beta carotene, Vitamin B complex, green chlorophyll superfoods, and so on.

If possible, they should try to receive any medical care they need at home. If possible, they should avoid going to hospitals and clinics. These places have many strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria even now.

During a bird flu pandemic they’ll be crowded with flu patients spreading the H5N1 virus — exactly what immune-compromised people must avoid.

And of course, consult with they should consult with their doctor.

Bird flu is an infection caused by avian (bird) influenza (flu) viruses. These flu viruses occur naturally among birds. Wild birds worldwide carry the viruses in their intestines, but usually do not get sick from them. However, bird flu is very contagious among birds and can make some domesticated birds, including chickens, ducks, and turkeys, very sick and kill them.

Bird flu, or avian flu, is currently of great concern worldwide. Governments are greatly concerned of a pandemic of bird flu that could kill millions.

Tamiflu is the main drug for the treatment of bird flu. Tamiflu can lessen the effects of bird flu, speed up recovery. Tamiflu can also minimize the effects of bird flu to the point that a patient may survive the virus when, without Tamiflu, the attack would have been fatal. Tamiflu is the only drug that is this effective against the bird flu virus.

These drugs must be taken within two days after the appearance of symptoms, something that may prove logistically difficult on a worldwide scale, even if there were enough to go around. Because they’re in short supply, it’s not entirely clear how flu drugs would be allocated if there were a widespread epidemic.

Avian refers to birds and flu is the common name for influenza. Avian flu is influenza that infects birds, including wild birds such as ducks and domestic birds such as chickens. Avian flu is caused by influenza virus type A. There are 15 subtypes influenza A, two of which affect birds. These are called the H5 and the H7 subtypes.1

These viruses are known as “highly pathogenic (disease-causing) avian influenza” (HPAI). They produce a severe disease in birds and are rapidly fatal, leading to bird flu epidemics.

Currently, wearing a mask is not recommended for routine use (e.g., in public) for preventing influenza exposure. In the United States, disposable surgical and procedure masks have been widely used in health-care settings to prevent exposure to respiratory infections, but the masks have not been used commonly in community settings, such as schools, businesses, and public gatherings.

A new treatment for human infections of bird flu claimed to be more effective than Tamiflu has been developed by Chinese scientists.

Like the drug made by Switzerland-based Roche, the new medicine is a neuraminidase inhibitor which inhibits an enzyme called neuraminidase and prevents the virus from leaving the cell and spreading to others.

People who develop flu-like symptoms (e.g., cough, fever, muscle aches) within ten days of traveling to an area of the world where there is a known outbreak of bird flu should contact their health care provider immediately. When traveling in these areas, avoid live poultry markets. Wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. People who handle birds that may be infected should wear protective clothing and breathing masks.

Giving aspirin to children and teenagers who have influenza can cause a rare but serious illness called Reye syndrome. Children or teenagers with the flu should get plenty of rest, drink lots of liquids, and take medicines that contain no aspirin to relieve symptoms.

Bird flu treatment is directed at reducing the severity not preventing it. Bird flu treatment therefore is the domain of natural health.

Herbs, Homeopathics and Acupressure have been used for centuries to aid your ability to fight infection and prevent them. What they do is arm your body to fight better and protect itself from attack.

Bird watching for children is one of the activities that can help instill the value and love for animals on their young minds. Aside from teaching them the importance of taking good care of animals, bird watching for children can also be a great of spending quality time with them. This activity is also great for children because it can teach them to become nature-wise and van teach them teach them good manners such as respect for animals.

What you need

Before you go bird watching with children, make sure that you yourself have had a first-hand experience on the activity. What you can do is search on the Internet what are the best places to bird watching with children. Once you found the best one or the nearest one in your area, take a time off to visit it before bring your children there.

Check if the entire area is safe for children. If you are having doubts about children safety, it is best to talk to the administrator of the park or the preserve to make sure that they have enough facilities to take care of kids. Also, ask what are the things that you need to bring when going there.

Also check how much are the fees, how many kids are allowed to bird watch, and what are the ideal ages for bird watching. When everything is done and you are confident that your child will be safe while bird watching, book a tour date while you’re there.

On the date of the bird watching activity, make sure that you bring the following:

1. A good pair of binoculars for kids. This is very important because the center might not have enough binoculars for the visitors. To ensure that the kids can use something, grab a good yet cheap pair of binoculars when you are in the department store.

2. A bird book or field guide. Although most of the bird parks offer booklet that contain information on the birds that can be seen there, it is best to bring a book guide on your own just in case they don’t have one. The book guide can help your kids identify the common birds in the area and can help them in describing the birds based on their appearance, color, size, and shape.

3. Bottled water and snacks. Since kids tend to get hungry often, it is best if you bring lots of bottled water and handy snack packs just in case no convenient store is near the area.

4. First aid kit. This should always be a must whenever you go out with your kids because they can be so accident-prone. Make sure that you include a first aid kit in your child’s backpack to make sure that you can tend to the wound or scratch immediately.

5. A camera. This is also a “must” when going out with kids because it can preserve the memories with your kids. Having a handy camera can enable you take as many pictures of your kids during the tour. You can also ask your kids to take as many photos as they can of the birds that they see.

6. A notebook or sketchpad with pens or pencils. One of the benefits of bird watching for children is that it encourages them to jot down their observations. These can also be helpful to artistically-inclined children because it can encourage them to draw the birds that they see.

Got birds? Absolute Bird Control is a website dedicated to providing the very best in affordable and humane bird deterrents. The site offers a full line of easy to use products that can remedy virtually any pest bird problem, and the products are designed for home use! Whether you have pigeons under an eave, geese in your yard, or sparrows nesting on a window sill, Absolute Bird Control has the right product for you!

Pest birds can be quite a nuisance. They create a mess, and can carry disease such as West Nile Virus, Avian Flu, and Histoplasmosis. It is important to address a pest bird problem as soon as one is spotted. The longer birds inhabit an area, the harder it is to get them to move on.

For years Absolute Bird Control has been dedicated to helping home owners find the best product for their pest bird problems. The customer service department is committed to educating customers on the different products available.

Recently Absolute Bird Control polled its customer service department to find out what the top ten “pest bird” questions they received were. The list below provides solutions for the most common bird problems home owners’ encounter. If you have a pest bird problem, Absolute has a solution!

1. Pigeons On a roof

Birds like the highest points on buildings for predator and food lookout. When you take away the option to land there, they will usually move on and find another spot. Pigeons or seagulls can be deterred by using the spike products. Birds know they cannot land on such a surface. An outdoor sound deterrent also works well in this situation. These units are weatherproof, and can cover large areas. Other options would be the gel repellants. Applied to the roofline, birds do not like the “sticky sensation” on their feet, and will move on. Making the area uncomfortable will be your best bet. Because it can be difficult to access a roof area, calling in a authorized pest control company may be the best way to take care of birds on a roof. To find an installer in your area, call 1-800-392-6915.

2. Small Birds nesting under and eave or canopy

An eave is the perfect home for a bird. It provides shelter from the elements and predators. Scents in the nesting material and droppings will lead the bird back to their own nest. The most important step is to make sure all of the nesting material is cleaned away. Calling a pest control professional to help aid with the clean up and installation is your best bet. Bird droppings carry disease, and the proper protection is a must. Once the nests and droppings are cleaned up, there are several products that can help. The best way to keep smaller birds out of an eave is to block them out with netting. The netting acts as a physical barrier. Treating the beams that the birds are nesting on with the Bird Gel will also help. The Bird Chase Supersonic, an outdoor sound deterrent, is weatherproof and can be programmed for smaller birds. Predator calls signal the birds to move away from danger.

3. Pigeons on a Balcony or patio

Pigeons on a balcony or patio area are a very common problem. These areas provide shelter, and prime nesting locations. Because the birds land indiscriminately on these areas, it is important to choose something that will encompass the patio or balcony. Many people have success with stringing visual deterrents such as Mylar Flash Tape or Scare Eye Diverters. Both use visual scare tactics to frighten birds away. A sound deterrent can also help with this problem; they cover wide areas, and require no maintenance. For table tops and A.C. units, the Repeller, a solar powered unit that uses motion to scare birds, will also work.

4. Geese in yard, making a mess of grass area

Geese are large birds, which create large messes. Absolute Bird Control carries three different products to deter geese. There is a topical grass repellent called Migrate. It is made out of grape extract, and geese can’t stand the taste. Applied to a lawn area, geese will realize they do not have a food source and move onto a better spot. There is also a product called the scarecrow which is hooked up to a garden hose. Every time the unit detects motion it will spray out water. Lastly there is a sound deterrent called the Goose Chase Sonic, which uses distress calls of other geese to move geese on. If you only have a few geese any one of the goose products will work. If you have a greater number of geese on the property, you may want to consider using a combination of the products.

5. Woodpeckers destroying the side of a home

Woodpeckers peck into surfaces for a three reasons, to look for food, to attract a mate, and to create a nesting cavity. If woodpeckers have chosen your home to peck at, there are a few successful items you can use. Visual deterrents, such as the Diverters, Scare Eye Balloons, or Mylar Tape work well with a woodpecker problem. These three items have reflective surfaces which woodpeckers will avoid. The Bird Chase Super Sonic can be programmed for woodpeckers. The unit can cover between 1-5 acres, and is weatherproof.

6. Birds sitting on a window sill

Window sills provide a perch, and often shelter. Making the sill un-usable for birds is a good way to stop a bird from choosing your window. Products such as the Bird Spikes or Bird Gel work well in this situation. If you have birds flying into a window, or pecking at a window, we carry “window alerts”. These are decals applied to the window itself, which help birds recognize the surface, and ignore the reflection.

7. Seagulls or Pigeons making a mess on a boat or dock

When a boat owner goes out to their boat, the last thing they want to do is clean bird droppings. The masts and spreaders of boats provide perfect landing spots for these large birds. We have two great products to help boat owners battle a tough bird problem. The Bird Spider is a very simple product, with very successful results. Steel arms bounce in the wind, the motion will frighten birds away. Usually one spider at each end of a boat will be enough to deter birds. The Repeller, the solar powered bird deterrent, can also be used on boats. This unit is ideal for flat surfaces such as canopies or covers. The continuous sweeping motion of the rods will keep the birds at bay.

8. Noisy Birds in a nearby tree

Its 6:00 am and the birds in a nearby tree are at it again! Usually customers are troubled with the noise and mess birds create while in a tree. If they are not nesting you could try the outdoor sound deterrent (the Bird Chase Super Sonic) this emits predator and distress calls, when birds hear these calls their natural instinct is to flee the area. Visual deterrents in the tree such as our Mylar flash tape of scare eye balloons may also help. Fruit growers have success with the Scare Eye Diverters when trying to protect fruit trees.

9. Birds / Ducks in or near a pool

If you are having problems with birds around your pool you may want to consider the outdoor sound deterrent. This devices uses predator and distress calls to scare the birds. It is weatherproof and can be programmed to which bird you are having the problem with. Because you cannot really treat the pool with surface treatments (like spikes or gel) this may be your best option. If the problem is ducks in a pool, the scare eye balloons used in the pool have proven to be successful. The “Scare Eye Balloon” has mock predator eyes printed on the balloon. Ducks will be frighten by the site, and move on.

10. Small Birds nesting in a Garage / barn

Nesting Birds are tough to get rid of. Absolute Bird Control gets calls about birds in a garage or barn area often. Again these structures provide perfect shelter. As with question 2, netting off areas is the best way to keep birds out. Blocking access to the rafters or beams that the birds perch on is a great way to protect these areas. We also carry an indoor sound deterrent called the Bird Chase Super Sonic. This unit uses high frequency ultrasonic noises to deter birds, and can cover up to 6,000 square feet.

Using the information in this list can save you time and money! Visit www.absolutebirdcontrol.com now for information and pricing on any of the products listed. The customer service team is waiting to help you solve your pest bird problem today.

Right now, the people must vulnerable to bird flu are those who come into close and frequent contact with infected chickens and other poultry.

Therefore, the main danger is to rural farmers and chicken sellers in Asia and Africa. Anybody who slaughters chickens, plucks their feathers, eviscerates and cooks chickens. Anybody who sells their raw meat in a market. Anybody who attends a cockfighting match, because fighting cocks spray blood into the air.

Their children seem to be most at risk. That’s probably because they play and pet the chickens that run wild in their villages, they play in the dirt that’s infected with chicken droppings and they have undeveloped immune systems.

Anybody who eats raw or undercooked chicken or eggs from infected chickens is at risk. That is why Vietnam is discouraging its people from preparing a traditional dish of raw duck blood soup.

Right now, this applies to people in rural Asia, Africa and Europe. When H5N1 spreads to North and South America, it could apply also to small farmers who raise chickens the traditional way.

Modern chicken factory farming protects chickens from contact with wild fowl and other outside birds, so they’re unlikely to catch bird flu — though it’s not impossible. People who work in the U.S. poultry industry are also the most now at risk, so they should follow all guidelines to limit contact with live and raw chicken and wash themselves thoroughly after work.

If bird flu mutates into a form that is easily contagious from human to human, we’re all vulnerable to catching the virus. We should all avoid nonessential contact with people. We should be careful who we physically touch, since even shaking hands can spread the virus. We should be careful about touching objects that have been used by others. We should wash our hands well and often.

But some groups are particularly vulnerable to bird flu:

Children, because they have underdeveloped immune systems

Pregnant women

Seniors, because they have lowered immunity

People with AIDS, because their have low CDC4 counts

People who’re HIV+, though it’s not yet known just how much more at risk they are of catching bird flu, it’s only logical that any stress on their immune systems will increase the risk that the HIV in their bodies will replicate more quickly

People undergoing radiation or chemo therapy for cancer

People who’re taking immune-suppressing drugs because of organ transplants

People with chronic breathing or respiratory problems such as asthma or chronic pulmonary disorder

People with heart disease, because they’re more at risk from the stress of fighting a case of bird flu

If you fall into any of the above groups, avoid all contact with anybody who could be carrying the bird flu virus. Wash your hands well and often. Consult with your doctor.

During 1918, the flu was particularly fatal to young adults who did not fall into any of the above groups. They had the problem that their immune systems were strong enough to overreact to the infection and destroyed their lung tissues in order to save them.

This “cytokine storm” does seem to be a danger with H5N1 also.

However, personally I’d rather have a healthy immune system to fight H5N1 with, and then use Vitamin C, Omega 3, over the counter NSAIDs and Cox-2 inhibitors (such as aspirin, Aleve, Ibuprofin, Advil or Motrin) or even hydrogen peroxide to reduce the inflammation.

Right now, people exposed to infected chickens are most at risk. If bird flu becomes highly contagious, we’re all at risk, but people with weak immune systems are most at risk.

The study of birds is a very popular hobby for many people throughout the world. No special equipment is needed for bird study other than a notebook to list the number and kinds of birds observed and a guidebook to aid you in bird identification. However, a good pair of binoculars is recommended. Photography of birds can also be a rewarding hobby but it demands skill, patience and requires purchase of some expensive equipment.

There is an abundance of bird information available to the enthusiast. Let’s begin with a bit of history.

Evolution of Birds

Most ornithologists believe that birds evolved from dinosaurs. The first known species of bird, the archaeopteryx, lived about 150,000,000 years ago. Although it had feathers and wings, it also had reptilian features, such as teeth, claws on all four limbs, and a long, bony tail.

Fossil birds of North America were the ichthyornis, which resembled a gull, and the hesperornis, a water-dweller about five feet long with sharp teeth. By about 75,000,000 years ago, the types of birds we know today had already begun to develop.

How Birds Are Classified

Referenced bird information shows that birds form the class Aves of the phylum Chordata. There are also two subclasses: Archaeornithes, which consists entirely of extinct birds (including the archaeopteryx); and Neornithes, which includes three superorders as follow:

· Odontognathae – Extinct birds that had teeth. Examples are the ichthyornis and hesperornis.

· Impennes – This consists of only one living order, Sphenisciformes or penguins.

· Neognathae – There are 28 orders to this superorder, including:

1. Struthioniformes

2. Rheiformes

3. Casuariiformes

4. Dinornithiformes

5. Apterygiformes

6. Tinamiformes

7. Gaviiformes

8. Colymbiformes or Podicipidiformes

9. Procellariiformes

10. Pelecaniformes

11. Ciconiiformes

12. Anseriformes

13. Falconiformes

14. Galliformes

15. Gruiformes

16. Diatrymiformes.

17. Charadriiformes

18. Columbiformes

19. Psittaciformes

20. Cuculiformes

21. Strigiformes

22. Caprimulgiformes

23. Apodiformes (formerly Micropodiformes)

24. Coliiformes

25. Trogoniformes

26. Coraciiformes

27. Piciformes

28. Passeriformes

Bird Care Tips

There are a myriad birds that make good pets. In fact, birds are among the most popular common house pets. Care must be taken though in the choosing of birds and in bird care. Here are some tips:

Choosing a Bird

While small birds, such as parakeets and canaries, require minimal care, large birds, such as parrots, cockatoos, and cockateels, can require a great deal of care and demand a lot of affection. Make sure you know about the requirements of the bird you’re considering.

Avoid buying a canary between July and October, which is the canary’s molting season. A sudden environmental change during that period may send it into shock.

Before buying a parrot, be prepared for a lifetime relationship – it may live longer than you do. Parrots become extremely attached to their owners.

Caring for Birds

When holding a pet bird, be very gentle. Bird bones are fragile – even the slightest pressure on the wrong spot can cause a fracture.

Never let a pet bird loose in the kitchen.

If a pet bird breathes through its open mouth, you know it’s sick. Buy a bird antibiotic at the pet store, pulverize it, and add it to your bird’s drinking water. If this doesn’t help, get it to the vet right away.