2024, Snopes received reader mail asking about a story claiming a pilot reacted emotionally after realizing why a flock of birds was flying next to his airplane. The article’s headline from the happiness-life.org website shared by one reader read, “The pilot’s emotional reaction when he discovered why birds were flying alongside the plane.”

The story featured a striking photo of hundreds of birds appearing to surround a British Airways flight. Such photos might lead some readers to think of bird strikes — a common aviation incident in which airplanes and birds come into contact with each other. About 90% of bird strikes take place at or near airports, usually during takeoff or landing, according to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.