Australian badminton clubs and players are facing sharply higher equipment costs as a global shortage of goose and duck feathers, driven by avian influenza outbreaks, pushes up the price of traditional shuttlecocks. Great Southern Badminton Association chair Michelle Watson said her group spends about $3,000 on shuttlecocks every four to six months. "An agricultural supply crash in Asia instantly triggers inventory shortages and doubles prices for local players," he said. The Badminton World Federation has responded by authorizing trials of synthetic shuttlecocks in selected lower-tier and junior international tournaments. For now, clubs and players continue to navigate higher prices while hoping that either supply stabilizes or synthetic alternatives improve enough to provide a viable long-term solution.