Why Birds Fly Into Power Lines

Scientists have revealed that birds fly into power lines because they have ‘blind spots’ in their field of vision. Experts discovered that cranes, bustards and storks were unable to see obstacles straight ahead when they tilted their heads downwards in flight, reports the BBC.

Birds often look down during flight to find fellow birds as well as nesting and feeding areas, according to the researchers. The new evidence has suggested that altering the appearance of power lines cannot prevent the problem.

Scientists from the Centre for Ornithology at the University of Birmingham, UK, studied three particularly affected species: kori bustards (Aerdeotis kori), blue cranes (Anthropoides paradisea) and white storks (Ciconia ciconia).

Their findings identified that these species share significant blind areas to the front of their heads. The study was published in the journal Biological Conservation.