What causes allergies to birds? Is it the feathers?
All birds can produce allergic reactions in humans. Research has determined that bird feathers themselves have little allergic potential. The major bird allergen comes from a bird’s feather dust or dander. When birds preen themselves, ruffle and shake their feathers, flutter their wings, twitch from side to side, or spread their tail feathers, no matter how small they are, they shake this fine dust around their cages and into the air. Feather dust is very light; it becomes airborne easily and circulates through the house on air currents, air conditioning and heating ducts. Bird droppings that are allowed to dry on the cage bottom can be a breeding ground for mold, bacteria, viruses and other organisms that can aggravate allergies.
