RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - On January 1, 2025, a hiker in Bulgaria’s Sredna Gora mountains came across a heart-breaking scene. Hundreds of dead birds, mostly young ones, were scattered across a snowy trail. Necropsies later revealed bruises, broken wings, internal bleeding, and missing feathers. It looked like they had crashed in a panic.

Scientists linked the deaths to fireworks display in a nearby town the night before. Frightened by the loud noise, the birds took flight in the dark and collided with trees, buildings, and each other. The chaos ended in tragedy for many of them.

Experts believe this kind of event happens more often than we realize. Stephany Lewis from the University of Illinois Wildlife Medical Clinic says it’s rarely documented. “The animals may never be found, or the deaths aren’t connected to fireworks,” she notes. Without someone there to witness it, the real cause stays hidden.

The impact of fireworks goes beyond death. The loud explosions cause panic, injuries, and stress. Animals may abandon their young and suffer from fear-related disorders. In the U.S., clinics see a spike in injured wild animals on July 5, the day after Fourth of July celebrations. Lewis says any trauma case that morning is likely tied to fireworks unless another cause is clear.

Research shows birds are hit hardest. A 2022 study found that New Year’s fireworks caused greylag geese to have faster heart rates and higher body temperatures, wasting energy they need to survive. In 2025, Berlin researchers saw corvids flying erratically and avoiding their usual roosting trees after midnight fireworks. In the Netherlands, birds fled in massive groups. For birds with sharp hearing like owls, the noise is even worse, especially during nesting season when young birds are learning to fly.

Other animals suffer too. Prey species like rabbits and deer often bolt at loud sounds, especially at night. In the dark they can run into fences or roads. Fireworks can also scare mothers away from their babies. For animals like North American porcupines that only have one or two offspring a year, losing a baby means waiting another year to reproduce. Summer fireworks are especially tough because many young animals are just learning to survive on their own.

Not all effects are long lasting. In South Africa, seals and gulls moved away during fireworks but returned soon after. In California, bats stopped hunting for about 13 minutes during a show and then resumed. But repeated stress can build up. Constant fear raises cortisol levels, weakens immune systems, and can lead to muscle damage. This condition, called capture myopathy, can be fatal for wild animals.

Some cities are already looking for alternatives. Salt Lake City and Boulder have switched to drone light shows. They’re quieter, cleaner, and don’t risk wildfires.

Still, drones make high-pitched sounds that bother some animals and pets. Lewis doesn’t think fireworks will disappear, but she encourages keeping them at least one mile away from forests, wetlands, parks, and nesting grounds from early spring to late summer. “We just need to be considerate of our wild neighbours,” she said.

Source : Nat Geo