Expert: Roger Lederer - 2/16/2006

Question
Hi Roger, it sounds like a title for an Agatha Christie. Anyway, to
the point. Having browsed various responses to my question on the
net, some of which are very rude, I thought it wise to ask someone
who is without doubt knowledgeable.
"Where do birds go to die". One ne're will see fall from the sky
Many thanks for your time
Keith

Answer
Keith, I have heard this question several times and the answer isn't as mysterious or special as one might think. Birds don't go anywhere special to die. Like squirrels, deer, frogs,insects, or any other animal, they die due to illness or injury. They are very thin-skinned and hollow boned, so they tend to decompose rapidly. So a road kill squirrel, for example, will last longer on the side of the road than a robin or owl. Sick or injured birds are probably not flying around anywhere, so it is very rare that one would die in flight, although it may happen once in a great while. But also, think about it - how many humans, cats, dogs, or any other animal have you seen die/keel over? I have never seen a human die on the street in all my years - they are almost always at home or in a hospital when it happens. Birds are on rooftops, in gutters, in the woods, or wherever, not flying when they die. Make sense? Roger Lederer at Ornithology.com