Even the little birds know that one should not pass through the yellow toxic fumes coming from the chimneys of the industries in this city, Ravenna, represented by Antonioni as distracted, anonymous, and absent, thanks in part to the use of a particularly cold photographic palette (the first color film by M.A.).
We humans (with the H) know it too, but our neurotic, stubborn, and somewhat cowardly nature means that we inevitably do it anyway.
A bit like in Aesop's fable of the frog and the scorpion. Sometimes we are the frog, sometimes the scorpion, but the final result doesn't change.
scena 3 : Deserto Rosso (1964) - Scena finale