Random question: Where do old birds die?

[RiverStone]

Why do we not see these elderly birds doing a barrel roll, keeling over in mid air, and crashing to the earth in dramatic fashion? Or do all birds die in trees? Just seems like every once in a while, a bird would die in flight???

Or maybe I've just missed it?

[yewberry]

1. You're not alone:

Lying in Bed in the Dark, I Silently Address the Birds of Arizona


Oh, birds of Arizona,
who woke me yesteday with your excited chirping,
where do you go to die?
So many of you, and yet never a trace
of your expirations,
no lump of feathers happened upon
here on the pavement
or another there on a square of lawn.

Are you down in the scrub turning in circles?
Do you tilt and fall on your side?
Do you lie there breathing among the warm rocks,
lie there breathing,
lie there
as the moon rises,
as the members of your flock fall silent for the night,
and the earth revolves around the center of your tiny eye?

(from "Nine Horses" Billy Collins, 2002)

[RiverStone]

11. Nice. Thank you.

Dang the web is an amazing place. Even the most obscure ponderments have been pondered before....x 100.

[cwydro]

2. I am out in my canoe a lot

down here. But never see them. However, one time I came across a pelican dead on a deserted mangrove island. I don't think he died of old age though...he had a white head, which I believe is a breeding sign.

I always wonder where they go too.

[carly denise pt deux]

3. I have never seen this happen, either

Be thankful that you are not in the path of one of these elderly dead missles outta mid air, if one hit you in the head, it would probably knock you out. Have you ever been hit by bird poo from high in the air? I have....admittingly embarassing.....and it felt like I was hit by a rock, no kiddin.
Carly

[Kali]

4. You don't see many of any kind of animal keel over from old age.

Of course it happens occasionally but even so most anything that dies gets consumed pretty fast. Most die BY being consumed.

[liberal hypnotist]

5. An speakable secret.

Big City Pigeons die on roofs due to poisoning by building owners. Country birds are transported to big cities. Suburban birds are best off. They die in wooded areas. Then, there is the Chinese restaurant theory. I hope this accurate info helped.

[sarge43]

6. If wild birds make it to old age and few do, they probably aren't flying much

Flying is labor intensive. If they don't wind up as another animal's lunch, they'll probably slowly starve or dehydrate. Their bodies would either be eaten by scavengers or rot quite quickly. About the only thing that would kill them mid-flight would be a heart attack or stroke and that would be rare event. They don't tend to fly if they are otherwise ill. Captive birds tend to die of the same things we do, cancer, heart disease, infections, kidney malfunctions.

[Darth_Kitten]

7. In some secret ancient birdie burial ground?

:shrug:

My guess is that they are prey animals so they probably try to die quietly with great dignity (they don't want to draw attention to themselves) :D

Fly across that Rainbow Bridge. :)

[Redstone]

8. Well, I'd think that if they're old or sick enough that they're about to die, they wouldn't have

the energy to fly, now would they?

Q.E.D.

Redstone

[bbernardini]

9. In such matters, it's always best to consult The Straight Dope:

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_083.html

Dear Cecil:

Where do pigeons go to die? I've only seen maybe two dead pigeons in my life. Considering how many there are, the streets should be littered with them. Is there a pigeon graveyard? --Ken Ellyson, Dallas; similarly from Bobbie Warshau, Evanston, Illinois and Betty Pryde, Novato, California

Cecil replies:

What is this? Just a few years ago everybody wanted to know where the baby pigeons were. Now all I get is letters asking what's become of the dead ones. I blame it on the cults.

You don't see many dead city pigeons for a couple of reasons. The first is that scavengers make pretty quick work of them. Insects alone can reduce a deceased pigeon to a heap of feathers and bones in a week or two. Rats, dogs, or other animals may drag the carcass off into some secret corner for a late snack. City sanitation crews occasionally stir themselves to scoop up a couple.

The other reason you don't see dead pigeons is that old and feeble ones usually hole up in some out-of-the-way place so they won't be seen by predators. Nooks and crannies in and around buildings are always popular, but I'd say the pigeons' favorite spot is the ironwork underneath viaducts. I recently inspected one near the office of the newspaper that publishes my column. I found the surrounding area littered with decaying remains. Mostly these were former editors sleeping it off. However, there were a bunch of dead pigeons, too. Naturally, I paused for a moment of respectful silence. For the pigeons. I mean, pigeons and editors both do the icky on the stuff you cherish most. But at least the pigeons don't think, "Wow, now it sings."

[RiverStone]

12. Cool link. Thanks!

Guess there is an answer for almost anything - now, which came first - the pigeon or the egg???

[Rabrrrrrr]

10. They die everywhere and are quickly eaten or decay.

Nature doesn't like to leave a dead body just lying around - it makes the body disappear and re-enter the cycle as quickly as possible.

[Arugula Latte]

13. I was pondering that same question, but with squirrels.

Most of the squirrels around here seem to die because they encountered a car's tires. Once I did see a hawk holding a still-living squirrel in its talons, in our backyard. Poor squirrelly. What a horrible death. :scared: