Zombie pigeons: What’s turning them into zombies? 

You must have come across zombies in movies. They are dead people walking around and hunting for flesh. While zombies are common in movies, books and shows, we haven’t ever seen real humans or animals turning into zombies. Wait, what if we told you that there are zombie-like pigeons in reality? particularly in the United Kingdom? You’d be surprised for sure.  

Well, since October this year, locals in the UK have been seeing pigeons behaving weirdly, not eating, twisting their necks at unusual angles and trembling. But no, these pigeons are not really zombies. These are pigeons affected by a deadly disease called the Newcastle’s disease. This life-threatening condition gives pigeons unusual symptoms wherein their heads turn backwards and they suffer from violent tremors. These symptoms make them look like zombies, hence the moniker zombie pigeons! Curious about zombie pigeons and the disease that’s affecting them? Read on. 

What is pigeon paramyxovirus?  
A virus is responsible for Newcastle’s disease that makes pigeons act like zombies! The disease was first identified in the year 1927 by Doyle T. He was the one to identify that the disease is caused by a virus. However, it was discovered much later that the virus is a pigeon paramyxovirus virus. Research revealed that it affects the brain of pigeons, inducing tremors and causing a twisted neck. The pigeons affected by this disease are unable to move or fly. They end up walking in circles, later facing difficulties standing and eventually dying. Now, the paramyxovirus virus is highly contagious and spreads from the faeces and other body excretions of birds. In the United Kingdom, this virus was not observed among wild birds but was found mainly among captive pigeons. So far, there is no treatment for the disease. The affected birds are euthanised to prevent the spread of infection. However, the United Kingdom is not the only one to report such incidences.  

Zombie pigeons were found in Moscow too! 
In 2013, Moscow also reported strange events concerning pigeons such as zombie-like behaviour, lethargy, and limp with a twisted head. This created a frenzy among the locals. Some people even reported incidences of pigeons losing their balance and falling on the ground! At first, the locals thought of it as a bird plague. Some even thought of it as a sign of an apocalypse! However, it was later discovered that the birds here suffered from Newcastle’s disease.  

Does it affect humans? 
When people in Moscow heard about Newcastle’s disease, they feared the virus would give them the same symptoms.  This created panic among the locals. Well, getting affected by the pigeon paramyxovirus virus will not produce the same symptoms in humans or turn you into a zombie! In humans, it is said to cause minor flu-like symptoms, such as mild fever and chills. However, the virus does affect doves and poultry, which can be threatening.