Question: Are birds often sick

Renata Medeiros answered on 19 Jun 2013:

Birds are not often naturally sick (not that we know of at least). The seabirds I study (and other birds as well) feed their chicks with their regurgitations (vomit) so they are very able to do it when they need to. They also do it as an anti-predatory behaviour (to avoid being eaten or attacked) so if another bird attacks them they will vomit on top of them to try putting them off. If the birds are coming to feed their young and have a very full belly they may also vomit when they are caught in the nets we use (we are not sure if this is part of the anti-predatory behaviour or if it just happens because they are flying fast and suddenly get stopped by the nets). The nets are harmless though, birds don’t get damaged when they get trapped in them.