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10/16/2009 10:24 AM

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By Kevin Crooks

This article has been read 203 times.

It seems like a nice day at a local amusement park where a small child is lackadaisically chewing a piece of popcorn. Suddenly, a funny character dressed in an oversized suit comes around and holds his hand up to give the little munchkin a high-five.

Dropping the popcorn, the child high fives and the character walks to another eager youngster. The child, ignorant to germs and diseases, looks down to retrieve his or her delicious snack when a terrifying-looking animal with wings swoops down and steals the piece of popcorn from right under the child’s fingertips. The crying and sadness might be short-term, but that encounter may have led to a future phobia.

Ornithophobia, or the fear of birds, is defined as an abnormal and persistent fear of birds. Sufferers of this fear experience undue anxiety about encountering and even being attacked by birds although they may realize their fears are quite irrational. The fear of birds is portrayed in many works of art and literature, including Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven.”

“The Raven” features a solitary bird that observes and provokes a grieving man's descent into madness. Varying interpretations have been made of the poem, some casting the raven as an unknowing chance visitor, others implying that the bird's intention was to bring about the narrator’s destruction.

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Ornithophobia can take many forms. Some people fear birds of prey, and some fear only pigeons while others are afraid of even household pets like parakeets. Symptoms of encountering birds will vary due to the severity of the phobias.

When forced to confront a bird, according to Lisa Fritscher, an About.com writer on phobias, one might shake, cry or freeze in place and not be able to move. Others may run away and attempt to hide.

Unfortunately for ornithophobics, it would be nearly impossible to go through an entire day without a single encounter with some type of bird. Over time, serious cases of untreated ornithophobia could eventually lead to becoming agoraphobic, which is the fear of leaving your house for fear of confronting a bird.

Fortunately, there is help. Ornithophobia typically responds well to cognitive-behavioral therapy techniques. A trained therapist can help one confront his or her fear, replacing his or her negative thoughts with more positive self-talk. Relaxation techniques are taught to use when your anxiety flares.

Systematic desensitization, in which you are gradually exposed to birds while practicing your new skills, can be extremely helpful. It is important to remember that ornithophobia is not uncommon. However, without treatment it can become life-limiting. Overcoming this phobia and any other phobia is doable if the right assistance is obtained.


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