driven feather shortage driving up price of badminton shuttlecocks
Badminton clubs in Australia are facing rising equipment costs due to a global shortage of goose and duck feathers caused by H5N1 avian influenza outbreaks. The scarcity has forced many players to switch to synthetic shuttlecocks, which are often considered inferior.
Why it matters
This highlights the tangible, niche economic impacts of global health crises on specialized industries and recreational sports.
The professional shuttlecock is made from goose or duck feathers. ( ABC Sydney: Amanda Hoh )
Australian badminton clubs are paying a premium for equipment as bird flu drives up the price of goose feathers.
Goose or duck feathers are used to craft shuttlecocks, the projectile central to the game.
Clubs and players are switching to synthetic shuttlecocks to manage costs, but players are adamant they are a poor quality substitute for the real thing.
Link copied Share Share article While bird flu has only landed on Australian shores in the last few months, a group of sportsmen and women have been feeling its impact for years.
The deadly strain of H5 avian influenza has riddled wild and domesticated avian species across the world, with the total number of dead birds in the hundreds of millions.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in