The Hidden Threat of Birds

The multidimensional hazards from farmland to sky and scientific responses to birds’ invisible threats. Within ecosystems, birds play vital roles in pollination and pest control. However, as their populations grow and ranges expand, the harm they cause has permeated multiple sectors including aviation, agriculture, and public health. Statistics indicate that global economic losses from bird-related hazards exceed $10 billion annually, with safety incidents occurring with alarming frequency. This article systematically analyzes the primary manifestations of avian hazards to provide references for scientific prevention and control.

I. Aviation Safety’s “Airborne Bomb”: The Deadly Threat of Bird Strikes

Bird strikes have been classified as a Category A aviation disaster by the International Air Transport Association, making birds the number one natural enemy threatening aviation safety. The root cause lies in the physics of impact—force is proportional to the square of mass and relative velocity. Even small birds can deliver devastating force. A 100-gram sparrow colliding with an aircraft traveling at 400 km/h generates an instantaneous impact force of two tons, comparable to being struck by a cannonball.

Such incidents predominantly occur during takeoff and landing phases, with over 20,000 occurrences globally each year, resulting in annual losses exceeding $10 billion. Engines are the most vulnerable critical components; ingested birds can cause blade fractures, engine failure, and in-flight shutdowns. In 2019, a Ural Airlines passenger aircraft suffered dual engine fires due to a bird strike, forcing an emergency landing in a cornfield that injured 75 passengers. In December 2024, Tibet Airlines Flight TV9873 suffered a bird strike during takeoff. Though it returned safely, the aircraft sustained severe structural damage.

To counter this threat, some airports employ trained Harris hawks for bird control, while others test new technologies like drone-based deterrents. However, achieving precise, all-weather prevention remains a global challenge for the aviation industry.

II. “Predators” of Agricultural Production: Devouring Millions of Tons of Grain Annually

With intensified ecological conservation efforts, China’s bird populations have grown significantly. Farmlands and agroforestry zones have become primary foraging areas, leading to frequent bird damage incidents. Globally, birds consume 15 million tons of grain annually—enough to feed 90 million people—with China’s agricultural regions suffering particularly severe losses.

1. Hardest-Hit Field Crops

Corn and peanuts during spring planting are the first to suffer. Farmers report that pheasants and magpies peck through plastic mulch to eat corn seeds, reducing germination rates by over 30%. After bird damage to peanut fields, farmers must repeatedly replant, increasing labor costs by 50%. During wheat and sorghum maturation, flocks of sparrows and crows swarm to feed. Grains pecked during the grain-filling stage are prone to mold, further amplifying losses.

2. Orchards’ “Invisible Yield Reducers”

Fruits like cherries, grapes, and pears attract birds with their sweet aroma. During fruit coloring, magpies and turtle doves swarm orchards, pecking at fruits that lose market value and become prone to fungal infections. Grapeyards suffer damage from tits and white-headed laughingthrushes, with severe infestations reducing yields by 20%-30%. More troublingly, birds like the laughingthrush exhibit “pecking-for-fun” behavior, often piercing fruit only to abandon it, intensifying waste.

Traditional farmer methods like scarecrows and reflective tape offer only temporary relief. Some resort to bird nets, but these disrupt ecological balance. Others employ bird netting and repellents, achieving up to 90% bird deterrence.

III. Public Health “Pathogen Carriers”: Disease Risks Behind Pet Birds

Pet birds like parrots and pigeons harbor multiple health hazards, transmitting various zoonotic diseases through feces, feathers, and secretions. Individuals with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable. Data from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention indicates over a dozen pet bird-related infectious diseases, with infection cases rising annually in recent years.

1. Bacterial and Fungal Infections

Salmonella spreads through contaminated food and water, causing human diarrhea and septicemia. Avian tuberculosis exhibits symptoms similar to human tuberculosis, often leading to misdiagnosis. Airborne Aspergillus spores can trigger coughing and chest pain, potentially progressing to invasive pneumonia in immunocompromised individuals.

2. Viral and Chlamydial Threats

Highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (H5N1, H7N9) spread through contact with infected birds’ secretions, with severe cases exceeding a 50% mortality rate. Psittacosis chlamydia acts as a silent killer—in 2023, three residents in a community contracted pneumonia due to an owner keeping an infected parrot. Infection in pregnant women may cause fetal malformations, while children often exhibit high fever and muscle aches.

3. Parasitic Infestations

Bird mites and feather lice spread through direct contact, causing skin itching and allergic dermatitis. Toxoplasma gondii spreads via fecal contamination, posing severe risks like epilepsy and blindness to HIV-positive individuals.

IV. Urban Environmental “Destroyers”: Facility Damage and Sanitation Challenges

Urban birds also pose significant nuisances. Pigeon and crow droppings, rich in uric acid, corrode building facades and bridge steel structures when accumulated over time, shortening facility lifespans. One city’s overpass incurred an additional $300,000 in annual maintenance costs due to bird droppings.

Bird nesting poses even greater risks: Nests in air conditioner units or electrical distribution boxes can cause short circuits and power outages; bird flocks near airports directly threaten flight safety. In 2024, an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane suffered severe damage after colliding with birds mid-flight and making an emergency landing.

V. Scientific Prevention and Control: The Key Pathway to Balancing Conservation and Safety

Addressing avian hazards requires adherence to the principle of “prevention and control first, with ecological friendliness.” In aviation, establish a “monitoring-early warning-deterrence” system combining radar surveillance with falconry techniques. In agriculture, promote harmless devices like bird netting and smart laser deterrents while implementing bird damage compensation policies.

Bird owners must practice daily precautions: clean droppings daily, disinfect cages weekly, and thoroughly wash hands after handling birds. Immediately isolate and seek veterinary care if birds show lethargy, diarrhea, or other abnormalities. Urban management should enhance public area sanitation and install bird-proofing devices on critical infrastructure.

VI. Conclusion

While bird hazards are widespread, they are not unmanageable. Through scientific monitoring, technological upgrades, and institutional safeguards, we can protect aviation safety, agricultural production, and public health while maintaining ecological balance. This requires concerted efforts from governments, businesses, and the public to build a harmonious coexistence between humans and birds, respecting nature as a foundation.