Science Do birds ever die mid-air?

**Rain Man** · 08-24-2021, 09:08 PM

I was pondering this today.

Aside from getting shot by hunters or sucked into jet engines, do birds ever die of natural causes while they're flying? Y'know, like a heart attack or stroke or something?

I'm asking because I've never heard of someone getting hit by a falling bird. It seems like there are enough birds and enough people that I'd know someone who was hit by a falling bluebird or wren. And what about geese? Could a person be killed by a falling goose? I'm just wondering if I should be worrying about this.

Hog's Gone Fishin · 08-24-2021, 09:22 PM

We had a really bad hail storm about 4-5 years ago and there were dead birds everywhere but yes they die mid air from different circumstances. Heart attacks , choking on worms, old age etc......

FlaChief58 · 08-24-2021, 09:25 PM

Where the hell is Frankie when we need him?

eDave · 08-24-2021, 09:28 PM

Other than dying from hail, spaceships, updrafts into freezing altitudes, and things, birds tend to go off into seclusion when they are not feeling well. In fact, very few birds actually survive far into adulthood. Dead birds are very important to the insect, reptile, feline, and rodent food chain.

**srvy** · 08-24-2021, 09:56 PM

Yes but Randy Johnson retired.

Hog's Gone Fishin · 08-24-2021, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eDave

Other than dying from hail, spaceships, updrafts into freezing altitudes, and things, birds tend to go off into seclusion when they are not feeling well. In fact, very few birds actually survive far into adulthood. Dead birds are very important to the insect, reptile, feline, and rodent food chain.

I wonder how many birds on the west coast decide to fly across the pond but didn't realize it was the Pacific ocean and died of old age trying to make it across

eDave · 08-24-2021, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hog's Gone Fishin

I wonder how many birds on the west coast decide to fly across the pond but didn't realize it was the Pacific ocean and died of old age trying to make it across

Sailors often see seagulls flying more than a hundred miles from the nearest shore.

**srvy** · 08-24-2021, 10:10 PM

cosmo20002 · 08-24-2021, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by srvy

Yes but Randy Johnson retired.

Also, Dave Winfield, who was actually arrested in Toronto (charges later dropped) for killing a seagull with a throw while warming up between innings.

**Bwana** · 08-24-2021, 10:27 PM

I was out in the middle of nowhere about a month ago, driving down a dirt road. All of a sudden just in front of me, a hawk swooped down and dropped a tweet, that landed on my hood and flew over the top of my truck. When I looked back in my rear view mirror, the hawk swooped down and grabbed the deceased tweet.

**cdcox** · 08-24-2021, 10:29 PM

Birds die all the time in mid air when they fly into big plate glass windows.

JakeF · 08-25-2021, 12:24 AM

Lightning and wind have to be a normal death for birds flying around. Hail has to destroy birds when big chunks fall.

SuperBowl4 · 08-25-2021, 12:37 AM

Yes when they are shot at or get sucked into airplanes engines. I hope this is helpful

displacedinMN · 08-25-2021, 05:00 AM

Birds die when flying over large solar farms in the desert.

**ptlyon** · 08-25-2021, 05:01 AM

They do when my 870 is around

View Poll Results: Do birds die mid-air?
No. If they're about to die, they glide down and land gracefully.	5	9.62%
Yes, but it's so rare that falling dead birds are not a threat to people.	7	13.46%
Yes, it happens occasionally. But it's not common enough to worry about.	21	40.38%
Yes, it happens a lot. I've known people who have been hit.	0	0%
Yes, and I've been hit. I'll tell you the species below.	2	3.85%
Yes, and I've been hit many times. I'm shocked that everyone hasn't.	0	0%
Birds aren't real.	10	19.23%
I'm not a veterinarian so I can't answer this question.	7	13.46%
Voters: 52. You may not vote on this poll

08-24-2021, 09:08 PM
Rain Man NFL's #1 Ermines Fan Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $3318491 VARSITY	Do birds ever die mid-air? I was pondering this today. Aside from getting shot by hunters or sucked into jet engines, do birds ever die of natural causes while they're flying? Y'know, like a heart attack or stroke or something? I'm asking because I've never heard of someone getting hit by a falling bird. It seems like there are enough birds and enough people that I'd know someone who was hit by a falling bluebird or wren. And what about geese? Could a person be killed by a falling goose? I'm just wondering if I should be worrying about this.
Posts: 141,428

08-24-2021, 09:22 PM	#2
Hog's Gone Fishin Fish are scared of me Join Date: Nov 2001 Casino cash: $1700477	We had a really bad hail storm about 4-5 years ago and there were dead birds everywhere but yes they die mid air from different circumstances. Heart attacks , choking on worms, old age etc......
Posts: 40,353

08-24-2021, 09:25 PM	#3
FlaChief58 SuperChiefs Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Florida Casino cash: $2259822	Where the hell is Frankie when we need him?
Posts: 18,952	4 0

08-24-2021, 09:28 PM	#4
eDave Banned Join Date: Jan 2013 Casino cash: $9998560	Other than dying from hail, spaceships, updrafts into freezing altitudes, and things, birds tend to go off into seclusion when they are not feeling well. In fact, very few birds actually survive far into adulthood. Dead birds are very important to the insect, reptile, feline, and rodent food chain.
Posts: 53,803

08-24-2021, 09:56 PM	#5
srvy Fight, build, win! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: KC Casino cash: $1671250	Yes but Randy Johnson retired. __________________ "The victim stance is a powerful one. The victim is always morally right, neither responsible nor accountable, and forever entitled to sympathy."
Posts: 24,359	10 0

08-24-2021, 10:10 PM	#8
srvy Fight, build, win! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: KC Casino cash: $1671250	__________________ "The victim stance is a powerful one. The victim is always morally right, neither responsible nor accountable, and forever entitled to sympathy."
Posts: 24,359	1 0

08-24-2021, 10:27 PM	#10
Bwana It's Five O'Clock Somewhere Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Billings, Montana Casino cash: $2139543647	I was out in the middle of nowhere about a month ago, driving down a dirt road. All of a sudden just in front of me, a hawk swooped down and dropped a tweet, that landed on my hood and flew over the top of my truck. When I looked back in my rear view mirror, the hawk swooped down and grabbed the deceased tweet. __________________ Adventure is dangerous....but monotony can kill you. Last edited by Bwana; 08-24-2021 at 10:57 PM..
Posts: 69,740

08-24-2021, 10:29 PM	#11
cdcox www.nfl-forecast.com Join Date: Sep 2000 Casino cash: $2341769	Birds die all the time in mid air when they fly into big plate glass windows.
Posts: 45,536

08-25-2021, 12:24 AM	#12
JakeF MVP Join Date: May 2017 Casino cash: $9990400	Lightning and wind have to be a normal death for birds flying around. Hail has to destroy birds when big chunks fall.
Posts: 10,605

08-25-2021, 12:37 AM	#13
SuperBowl4 MVP Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: HERMOSA BEACH,CA Casino cash: $8034900	Yes when they are shot at or get sucked into airplanes engines. I hope this is helpful
Posts: 13,560

08-25-2021, 05:00 AM	#14
displacedinMN It was not a fair catch Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Correcting papers Casino cash: $2942630	Birds die when flying over large solar farms in the desert. __________________ #investigatecarlcheffers
Posts: 36,281	1 1

08-25-2021, 05:01 AM	#15
ptlyon Bono & Grbac wasn't enough Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Sioux City, IA Casino cash: $13103829	They do when my 870 is around __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Advertise here: $19.99 a month
Posts: 33,555	1 0