Feather mites on magpies (1 Viewer)

[Frozzbird]

A Magpie friend who visits every day has got what I think are a type of mite that is clearly visible as they appear and then disappear under his feathers.
I have only noticed them on the side of his head and although there are obviously more than just one or two he never seems to scratch them or is unduly worried by them.
My question is,are these mites detrimental to him regarding his longevity.
And what is the best website that you know of that shows good photo identification of various mites.
Is it worth trying to somehow get rid of them?
I think that to manhandle him to get a better look at them is not a good idea and that although we can go eyeball to eyeball and have a good chat,and he is not to alarmed at me gently moving around him I would hate to frighten him after gaining his trust of me.
Plus,am I right in thinking that his nest,(where ever it is,I have no idea) would be infested and his Magpie mates be passing them on. B :t:

 

[Azzy]

I wouldn't try to handle it, you're right. Magpies are fairly sociable birds, so I'd say it would be relatively likely that other magpies that it associates with could have the mites too, so you may not be able to get rid of them.

The only thing I can suggest, is that you might be able to feed something to the magpie, through water or some sort of food that may help get rid of the mites. But that's all I can think of. I would say that unless it gets out of control, they shouldn't have too bad an effect on the magpie. Any invert like that does, they aren't good, but they don't alway have to be a big problem either.

 

[dram7]

I'm afraid that's nature.

 

[Frozzbird]

NATURE IS FREE FROM THE TYRANNY OF godgobbers

I'm afraid that's nature.

G'day dram 7,.,
I'm the same as all of this cosmos's wonderful non human inhabitants,in the fact that I am completely and utterly free from any godgobbery and religious rubbish what so ever.
But I don't consider myself lucky.It's just normal not to believe in all the goddy garbage,jesus junk and bible bilge that has plagued us ordinary people from the time we humans first got jack of the fruitcakes who wanted to control the planet and dominate with their fear mongering and godgobbery rhetoric.
Unfortunately we have to put up with the media and other religious zombies claiming that a recent elephant birth at Taronga Park Zoo was a miracle.
This whole abysmal and farcical reporting surrounding this baby elephant who has been now renamed Pathi Harn,which is Thai for miracle is making Australia a laughing stock.http://www.theage.com.au/national/m...s-miracle-name-20100325-qxj1.html?autostart=1
Another wacko case of this godgobbery garbage is the recent U.S.A. Hudson River plane crash landing where the media nutters have incessantly claimed it was a goddy intervention by a divine miracle that got the plane down safely.
Even though the captain was insistent that he and his co-pilot were able to bring the plane down safely onto the river only through the skills of the co-pilot sitting beside him and the people in the air traffic control tower,plus the rescuers on the water.
But the Good Morning America presenters were hysterical about it being a goddy intervening miracle that saved the otherwise doomed plane.
And it looks like Australia is gradually becoming another Yankee clone in declaring every survival story a miracle act of this useless non-existent god.
Plus,Australia's normal population has to now put up with this farcical catholic rubbish about a nun being given top billing by a PEDOPHILE loving old man from half way across the world.
EXCUSE ME WHILE I CHUCK UP INTO MY SCHOONER!
PS,.,All is not lost,.,when one of these lame brained TV reporters tried to tell one kid the elephant was now called miracle or Pathi Harn,.,the little tacker shouted at him "NO IT'S NOT IT'S MR SHUFFLES!":t:B

 

[dram7]

You must be one of the few rational thinking aussies.

 

[Frozzbird]

You must be one of the few rational thinking aussies.

I leave fence sitting to our feathered friends B