Nature has a marvelous way of balancing itself. This is particularly true of the insect world. There are trillions and trillions of insects in the world, far more than human beings. If it were not for animals which naturally prey on insects, we would be overrun and life would be impossible.
Fortunately, many birds, reptiles and amphibians eat insects, including ticks, which have the potential to cause Lyme disease and other illnesses. One bird with a particular taste for ticks is the guinea fowl.
The Guinea Fowl
The guinea fowl is one of the oldest species of birds in the world. It is native to the African continent. However, the Helmeted guinea fowl has been introduced in several countries around the world for both food, and pest control.
A guineafowl resembles a partridge, but with no feathers on the head. The Helmeted guineafowl, as the name suggests, has a small crest. They are about 16 to 20 inches tall and can weigh as much as 3.5 pounds.
They are very sociable, and travel in groups of about 25. They tend to spend most of their time on the ground foraging. They can fly, but generally run rather than fly away when scared, making them a rather tame domesticated bird perfect for food or local pest protection.
They can be a bit noisy and raucous, making a screeching sound when roused. But with the concern over the increasing number of Lyme disease cases in the Northeastern United States, they could be the perfect solution to natural pest control.
Guinea Fowl Foraging
Guinea fowl are not too particular about what they eat. They can go up into treetops to feed, but in Africa, they are commonly observed following monkeys to forage in their feces for food. They will even eat scorpions. Other elements of their diet include maggots from the carcasses of dead animals, flies, locusts and other invertebrates.
One guineafowl will eat a considerable number of ticks, including the black-legged tick, or deer tick, which is the main carrier of Lyme disease in the US. Deer ticks tend to favor cooler northern latitudes and lurk in wooded areas and tall grass.
Helmeted guineafowl are at home in the woods and in grassy areas, so they share the same habitat as the ticks and can help keep down the population considerably all year round.
Of course, there are many species of tick, not just the deer tick, but they all taste the same to a hungry guinea fowl.
With so many dangerous tickborne diseases, a flock of guinea fowl could be one of the best ways to protect you and your family and pets from these germ-carrying bugs.
Guineafowl may be a bit noisy, but they are an effective (and tasty, if you eat meat) form of natural pet control. If you live in a rural area without a lot of neighbors nearby, and want to keep down the tick population to protect yourself and your pets, consider raising guineafowl on your property and see what a difference it can make.
To learn more about guineafowl and Lyme disease prevention, see:
http://www.guineafowl.com/fritsfarm/guineas/ticks/tickstudy.pdf
