If you’ve spent anytime in downtown Beijing, you may have noticed the absence of birds.
Cities across the globe have long been avian “killing fields” with high-rise glass windows and city sprawl usually being the primary culprits. China’s large cities are no different — except maybe when it comes to sparrows.
But putting that sorry ecological episode aside for a moment, the bird I am thinking about here is the Flying Pigeon, China’s ubiquitous black bicycle that has been the standard transportation for millions over the years.
The flock of Flying Pigeons living in China is estimated to be around 500 million with 10 million nesting in Beijing. Without fear of contradiction, China can truly be called bike nation.
But this iconic symbol of simple physical self-reliance is now taking flight due to globalization, urban growth and car envy. And the long-term trade-off of this migration may not be that healthy as the predatory but more sedentary car culture takes over.
