Ornithophobia is the abnormal and irrational fear of

birds Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class (biology), class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the Oviparity, laying of Eggshell, hard-shelled eggs, a high Metabolism, metabolic rate, a fou ...

, as well as a type of

specific phobia Specific phobia is an anxiety disorder, characterized by an extreme, unreasonable, and irrational fear associated with a specific object, situation, or concept which poses little or no actual danger. Specific phobia can lead to avoidance of the o ...

. The term may also refer to strong dislike of birds. People with ornithophobia are often afraid of specific types of birds, for example chickens, ducks, and/or pest birds in grain-producing areas. The prefix ''

ornitho- This is a list of common affixes used when scientifically naming species, particularly extinct species for whom only their scientific names are used, along with their derivations. *a-, an-: ''Pronunciation'': /ə/, /a/, /ən/, /an/. ''Origin ...

'' signifies "of or pertaining to birds", from Ancient Greek ὄρνις (órnis, "bird"). Sufferers of this phobia may be afraid that they will be attacked by a bird or may simply be very uncomfortable around them. They would usually be afraid of their fluttering wings, the way they move, the way they fearlessly fly up to people waiting for food, the texture of the feathers, fear of disease or any combination of these. Birds can also be noisy, large and threatening, and may show little fear of humans. The phobia itself causes heart palpitations, sweating, nervousness, and avoidance behavior in those who suffer from it. Without treatment, the phobia can become life-limiting. Fear of birds has been documented in movies and poetry.

References

Zoophobias Bird problems with humans Anxiety disorders {{psych-stub

See also

References