What Is Anatidaephobia?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nAnatidaephobia originated with Gary Larson. Far Side<\/em> Comic, defined it as: “The fear that somewhere, somehow, a duck is watching you.” The definition was accompanied by a comic illustration depicting a woman alone in her home while a duck watches him from the window.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe purpose of the phobia (or, in this case, ‘faux phobia’) was to illustrate that any object or living thing can become a source of fear. Since Larson first introduced the concept, the concept of anatidaephobia has made its way into the popular consciousness and is now often presented as an actual type of phobia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A quick Internet search reveals a plethora of websites either presenting the phobia as Larson originally envisioned it or simply mislabeling it as “fear of ducks.” The term Anatidaephobia originates from the name of the biological family of waterfowl that includes geese and ducks (‘Anatidae’) and the Greek word for fear (‘phobos’).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Anatidaephobia may not be real or officially recognized, but that doesn’t mean that fear of ducks or swans isn’t possible. Ornithophobia or fear of birds, is a very real specific phobia. The actual fear of ducks and swans would be represented as a form of ornithophobia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Types of Phobias<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Specific phobias are classified into one of five different subtypes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Animal<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- natural environment<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- blood or injury<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Situation and more<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Ornithophobia is a specific animal phobia. People who are experiencing this kind of phobia may afraid of all types of birds. While some may only have fear of a specific animal or bird.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Like other animal phobias, this fear often triggers by a negative encounter with the ducks or swans. For example, being chased, bitten, or attacked by a duck or a flock of ducks at your place may later lead to a fear of this type of bird. Or maybe you were a fan of Alfred Hitchcock’s movies as a child. Be scared of The Birds. <\/em>Often we have no control over what triggers our fears. But we do have the ability to change our response to those fears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n