By Helen Briggs BBC News
12 March 2018
Scientists are warning of the
risks of wild birds spreading diseases when they gather at feeders in gardens.
Experts led by Zoological Society of London say
people should continue to feed birds, especially in winter, but should be aware
of the risks.
If birds look sick, food should
be withdrawn temporarily, they say.
The review of 25 years' worth of
data identified emerging threats to garden birds. Finches, doves and pigeons
are vulnerable to a parasite infection.
Meanwhile, a form of bird pox is
becoming more common, causing warty-like lumps on the bodies of great tits and
other birds.
Other disease threats, such as
salmonella, appear to be declining.
"Our study shows how three
of the most common diseases that affect British garden birds have changed both
dramatically and unpredictably over the past decade, both in terms of the
species they affect and their patterns of occurrence," said Dr Becki
Lawson from ZSL's Institute of Zoology.
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