# Reactions to Mild Earthquake



## keith1 (Jan 4, 2008)

Hi all - I haven't been on for awhile. but something happened today that I just have to ask about.

This morning there was an earthquake somewhat near us. We live in SouthWest Ohio and the main affected area was from Indiana to Kentucky. We just felt a light "rocking" sensation here, but our "rascal" was freaking out in his cage. Luckily, my wife was near the cage when it occured and got him out before he hurt himself. He cuddled up under her chin for about 15 minutes before he settled down. Actually the tremor was so light we didn't equate it to his behavior until we saw it on the news later.

Later, when my wife was at work there was an "aftershock" and the Cockatoo there started freaking out and they had to stay with him and talk to him to calm him down for about 10 minutes. Sadly, a friend of ours who has an African Gray told us that it freaked out so badly in it's cage it suffered a broken wing, and there was alot of blood. No final toll on the injuries yet.

So...... my question - since there wasn't really any "hard shaking" is there something birds "sense" about an earthquake? - maybe to "take flight" to avoid danger? 

Thanks, Keith


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## atvchick95 (Sep 17, 2007)

I posted about our earth quake on talk budgies, and I was asked if my birds acted differently before it had happend, I said I didn't know the 1st time because it was 5:30 this morning and i was asleep 

the "after shock" occured at around 11 or so and i was sitting at my computer desk talking to my b/f and my monitor started shaking for no reason, at first i thought it was my washing machine, maybe it was off balance, Then it dawned on me my machine is in the basment, even if it was off balance it wouldn't bother anything up stairs (my living room, bathroom, both my kids room, basment and part of my kitchen is made of Pure concrete it was built as a bomb shelter) 

I didn't notice anything different with my birds though But i was under the impression after bieng asked that , they do sense it, I guess it would be sort of like " the silence before the storm" with a Tornado

I know dogs and other animals can sense storms before they arrive, So i'm sure earthquakes can be sensed too


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## Laura (Jul 30, 2007)

Because of their finely tuned senses, animals can often feel the earthquake at its earliest stages before the humans around it can, , scientists have discovered that some animals detect slight changes in the earth's magnetic field. This is important , since magnetic changes appear to be associated with earthquakes. I have heard more then once that caged birds often become restless so yes it is possible.


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

I believe that they can sense storms. Iam dreading what will happen with Spikes first thunder storm. I hope your friends African grey gets better soon.


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## Bea (Jul 26, 2007)

They can indeed sense much smaller things than we can, so a minor tremour will upset a cockatiel and cause it to, as you experienced, thrash in it's cage. I've heard stories of birds being upset by an earthquake so minor that it couldn't even be felt by the owner! 

I haven't found thunder storms to be a problem, or strong winds. We sometimes even have thunderstorms which rattle the windows but i checked and none of my birds looked worried in the slightest.


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## atvchick95 (Sep 17, 2007)

mine get scared at the start of a lighting/ thunder storm but normally once it goes on for a bit they get used to it, but if the lighting and thunder is few and far inbetween they get scared more so than if it came one after another


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## Sarin (Oct 16, 2007)

I'm in Ontario Canada and my birds felt it.. I slept through it but when they started freaking out I immediately woke up and calmed them down for 30 minutes and went back to sleep. I had no idea what was wrong until I found out at that exact time it happened [Around 5:30 AM] Was when an earthquake hit. This far away and they still felt it.. it's amazing in my opinion.


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

Iam going to have to wait and see how Spike does during his first thunder storm. I know my dog Bandit will have to stay right beside me he hates thunder storms, me too


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## keith1 (Jan 4, 2008)

Thanks everyone, seems like the longer we have our birds, the more they amaze us.

Keith


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## Tiki (Dec 26, 2007)

Yes like Laura said animals can sense changes in the magnetic field. We had it in Southern Ontario and my birds slept through it.


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