Bird behavior preceding earthquake occurrence

A camera-trap study in the Peruvian Andes reported a decline in recorded terrestrial mammal and bird activity during the weeks preceding one magnitude 7.0 earthquake, with no animal activity recorded during the final five to seven days. A broader systematic review found that unusual pre-earthquake behavior has been reported across many animal species, including birds, but most reports were retrospective, anecdotal, or lacked adequate baseline observations and controls. Bird detections may also vary because of weather, food availability, migration, breeding, predators, human activity, and equipment performance. The available evidence therefore supports investigation of a reported temporal association but does not establish that bird behavior reliably predicts or is caused by earthquakes.