More Than 1,000 Dead Birds Fall From Arkansas Sky

[waltzingmatilda]

I like the poisonous gas theory. I just read that birds are also dying in Sweden.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40921795/ns/us_news-environment/

wm

 

[IWannaKnow]

http://news.google.com/news/story?h...sult&ct=more-results&resnum=2&ved=0CCkQqgIwAQ

Dead birds found in Sweden, following incidents in Arkansas, Louisiana
Posted by Jason Tuohey January 5, 2011 07:43 AM

Between 50 to 100 jackdraws, black-plumed relatives of crows, were found dead on a Sweden street yesterday, according to The Local, an English-language news website based in the country.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackdaw

The Jackdaw (Corvus monedula), sometimes known as the Eurasian Jackdaw, European Jackdaw, Western Jackdaw, or formerly simply the daw, is a dark-plumaged passerine bird in the crow family. It is found across Europe, western Asia and North Africa, and four subspecies are recognised. At 34–39 cm in length, it is one of the smallest species in Corvus, the genus of crows and ravens. It is a black-plumaged bird with grey nape and distinctive white irises. It is an omnivorous and opportunistic feeder, and eats a wide variety of plant material and invertebrates, as well as food waste from urban areas. The Jackdaw has benefited from clearing of forested areas and is found in farmland and urban areas, as well as open wooded areas and coastal cliffs.

And would like to add this from a previous article:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40885546/ns/us_news-environment/
No poison found in birds that fell on town
First tests suggest midair collision, but why still isn't certain; number raised to at least 4,000
msnbc.com staff and news service reports
updated 1/3/2011 3:23:17 PM ET 2011-01-03T20:23:17

Their stomachs were empty, which rules out poison, Dr. George Badley said, and they died in midair, not on impact with the ground.

That evidence, and the fact that the red-winged blackbirds fly in close flocks, suggests they suffered some massive midair collision, he added. That lends weight to theories that they were startled by something.

Several hundred thousand red-winged blackbirds have used a wooded area in the town as a roost for the past several years.

Robertson and other officials went to the roost area over the weekend and found no dead birds on the ground.

"That pretty much rules out an illness" or poisoning, the mayor said.

 

[waltzingmatilda]

This is so weird. Dead pelicans have been found on Topsail Island, NC. Authorities first said someone was killing them. Now I just heard on the local news that a task force has been formed because they are now unsure the deaths were caused by a human. I'll post a link once the story is posted to their site.

This is so strange.

wm

 

[IWannaKnow]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-Hundreds-birds-hit-power-line-Louisiana.html

Now experts claim hundreds of birds found dead in Louisiana may have hit power lines as spate of deaths leaves scientists baffled
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 2:02 PM on 5th January 2011

Dan Cristol, a biology professor and co-founder of the Institute for Integrative Bird Behavior Studies, said the Louisiana birds may have been ill or startled from their roost before hitting the power line.
'They don't hit a power line for no reason,' he said.
New Year's revellers spent the holiday weekend cleaning up dead red-winged blackbirds. Some blamed the bad weather, while others said one confused bird could have led the group into a fatal plunge.
Mr Cristol said the fireworks theory was unlikely, unless 'somebody blew something into the roost, literally blowing the birds into the sky'

I haven't bought the fireworks theory from the beginning. I would like to hear from someone in Beebe whether they had a bigger than normal fireworks display that night. And as far as the weather goes, they have stated that the bad weather was already well to the east before the birds started falling. If it were hail, there should have been dead birds under the roost. :twocents:

 

[IWannaKnow]

This is so weird. Dead pelicans have been found on Topsail Island, NC. Authorities first said someone was killing them. Now I just heard on the local news that a task force has been formed because they are now unsure the deaths were caused by a human. I'll post a link once the story is posted to their site.

This is so strange.

wm

waltzingmatilda - This article says they are washing up with gunshot wounds and some have been decapitated. Sounds like a person with a grudge. They have offered a $5,000 reward for information.

http://www.wwaytv3.com/more-dead-pelicans-found-topsail-island/12/2010

Volunteers say in the last ten days alone, at least 70 dead pelicans have washed ashore. They say there has been an escalation in the injuries to the pelicans.

Now they are finding birds with broken necks, gunshot wounds and even some that have been decapitated.

 

[waltzingmatilda]

waltzingmatilda - This article says they are washing up with gunshot wounds and some have been decapitated. Sounds like a person with a grudge. They have offered a $5,000 reward for information.

http://www.wwaytv3.com/more-dead-pelicans-found-topsail-island/12/2010

Thanks IWK. I had read this too. Apparently, something has changed according to the story I just heard on WECT. I just don't understand how it changed from decapitation and gunshot wounds to now saying that they aren't sure the pelicans died by human hands.

I live about an hour south of Topsail, and I have seen a few dead pelicans in the canal here recently. It is odd because I don't ever recall seeing a dead pelican in the 24 years I have lived here.

I'm still monitoring that site and will post a link when I get it.

If it is a human who is harming them, I hope the person is tarred and feathered and rode thru the town square on a rail! MOO

wm

 

[IWannaKnow]

Thanks IWK. I had read this too. Apparently, something has changed according to the story I just heard on WECT. I just don't understand how it changed from decapitation and gunshot wounds to now saying that they aren't sure the pelicans died by human hands.

I live about an hour south of Topsail, and I have seen a few dead pelicans in the canal here recently. It is odd because I don't ever recall seeing a dead pelican in the 24 years I have lived here.

I'm still monitoring that site and will post a link when I get it.

If it is a human who is harming them, I hope the person is tarred and feathered and rode thru the town square on a rail! MOO

wm

Thanks for that info wm. :waitasec: It is a little confusing how they could be shooting and decapitating themselves, but I will wait for your updates. ITA about the bolded part as well.

I have found that all the types of birds being reported all belong to the Passeriformes order of birds, which is part of the Passerines. They include about 1/2 of all the bird species. They are perching birds, and as such have specialized leg muscles for perching.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passerine

The leg muscle of passerine birds contains a special adaption for perching. It will automatically tighten and become stiff, if the bird starts to lose hold of the branch on which it is perching. This enables passerine to sleep while perching without falling off. This is especially useful for passerine birds that develop nocturnal lifestyles.[2]

OK, so remember the article where someone's daughter in Beebe stated that their legs were squishy? Well, they are also reporting muscle damage in the breast tissue and blot clots. If it is disease, why are there no sparrows, or other perching birds being affected? Why are there no dead birds under the roost? Surely if it were an illness, a few would have succumbed while still roosting and fallen there. If this is a disease affecting their muscles and causing blood clots, how is it spreading? How are they dropping dead in AR, LA, KY and now Sweden? If it is in the air, why are other birds of this order not being affected? If it is affecting their blood and muscles, how did they have the strength to fly???? I could go along with noxious fumes coming from the ground due to fault lines, but not with them in so many states and now countries and no other species of birds being found dead.

 

[waltzingmatilda]

TYVM for the link IWK! Very informative and good information to know in this case. I watch alot of birds here and even saw a snipe in the canal not long ago. (I had concluded there was no such bird after being taken on a 'snipe hunt' when I was young lol!)

I am also no longer on the noxious fumes bandwagon.

Here is a link from the sight I spoke of earlier regarding the birds in AK and LA. Still no update on the pelicans. This news station is slack on updating their web page, IMO.

http://www.wect.com/Global/story.asp?S=13786203

"They" are now saying the bird deaths could be related.

wm

BTW As a caution to you all, bird poo can cause terrible bacterial infections. My friends and their 3 year old was picking up seashells at a barrier island last summer. (north of Topsail on the outer banks) There was bird poo all over the beach. Their son rubbed his eye after picking up shells and got a terrible infection. Dr. at the ER said he was lucky he didn't lose his eye and could have died if the infection had not been treated immediately!
who woulda thunk?

wm

 

[Nova]

...BTW As a caution to you all, bird poo can cause terrible bacterial infections. My friends and their 3 year old was picking up seashells at a barrier island last summer. (north of Topsail on the outer banks) There was bird poo all over the beach. Their son rubbed his eye after picking up shells and got a terrible infection. Dr. at the ER said he was lucky he didn't lose his eye and could have died if the infection had not been treated immediately!
who woulda thunk?....

My mama, that's who! We lived near the Glades and were surrounded by gators and snakes, but all she ever warned us was, "Don't touch the birds!"

 

[waltzingmatilda]

My mama, that's who! We lived near the Glades and were surrounded by gators and snakes, but all she ever warned us was, "Don't touch the birds!"

Nova, You have a very smart MAMA!!!! Good for you:rocker:

wm

 

[hockeymom]

The fireworks thing makes absolutley no sense. If that were the case we'd have dead birds in every major city in the country after 4th of July. I don't know what the deal is but its pretty freky.

 

[oh_gal]

Armageddon is near.....

Interesting take on it, except that:

"However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows." Mark 13:32

 

[bessie]

Louisiana bird kill partially blamed on collisions with power lines

First, New Year's Eve fireworks were blamed in central Arkansas for making thousands of blackbirds confused, crashing into homes, cars and each other. Then 300 miles to the south in Louisiana, power lines likely killed about 450 birds, littering a highway near Baton Rouge.


It's almost certainly a coincidence the events happened within days of each other, Louisiana's state wildlife veterinarian Jim LaCour said Tuesday. "I haven't found anything to link the two at this point."

http://www.nola.com/pets/index.ssf/2011/01/louisiana_bird_kill_partially.html


A coincidence, my eye. The cause hasn't been determined in either case, so how can he deny a link? Note he does add, "at this point".

The article also recalls a 1999 Louisiana incident where several thousand grackle died en masse from e coli infections. In that case, the birds staggered around on the ground before they died, though. They didn't just fly into power lines.

I'm not sure what to make of all of this, but I won't be satisfied with pat answers. Even if lab results show disease, I would like to see local investigations continue, which might attract more independent research. This type of thing has become increasingly widespread and frequent. If there is anything really hinky going on the, Lord knows the feds will never tell us.

 

[Dark Knight]

Interesting take on it, except that:

"However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows." Mark 13:32

I didn't give the date or hour, I just said "near." There WILL be signs first. So ya never know....but I guarantee we are closer than we were before. :crazy:

 

[oh_gal]

I didn't give the date or hour, I just said "near." There WILL be signs first. So ya never know....but I guarantee we are closer than we were before. :crazy:

(above bbm)
Well, I can agree with that!

 

[bessie]

TYVM for the link IWK! Very informative and good information to know in this case. I watch alot of birds here and even saw a snipe in the canal not long ago. (I had concluded there was no such bird after being taken on a 'snipe hunt' when I was young lol!)

I am also no longer on the noxious fumes bandwagon.

Here is a link from the sight I spoke of earlier regarding the birds in AK and LA. Still no update on the pelicans. This news station is slack on updating their web page, IMO.

http://www.wect.com/Global/story.asp?S=13786203

"They" are now saying the bird deaths could be related.

wm

BTW As a caution to you all, bird poo can cause terrible bacterial infections. My friends and their 3 year old was picking up seashells at a barrier island last summer. (north of Topsail on the outer banks) There was bird poo all over the beach. Their son rubbed his eye after picking up shells and got a terrible infection. Dr. at the ER said he was lucky he didn't lose his eye and could have died if the infection had not been treated immediately!
who woulda thunk?

wm

I just posted about the La. deaths in another thread under "Bizarre News". Didn't know we had two. Anyway, it's interesting how two reporters can twist virtually the same quote to have such different meaning. From The Times Picayune/NOLA.com

It's almost certainly a coincidence the events happened within days of each other, Louisiana's state wildlife veterinarian Jim LaCour said Tuesday. "I haven't found anything to link the two at this point."

Somehow that last statement became "almost certainly a coincidence". Until the lab results are returned, no one can make a determination about whether the two incidents are related. That's just pure common sense.

Kudos to the WECT reporter below for resisting the temptation to further sensationalize a story which holds enough mystery on its own to incite fear and rumors. No need to stir the pot.

An ornithologist with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) said Tuesday it was possible the bird-kills were related, but nothing definitive would be known until all testing is completed.
http://www.wect.com/Global/story.asp?S=13786203

Sorry for the rant. I thought it was important to point out the discrepancies. I haven't read this entire thread, so I apologize if I'm repeating what's already been said.

I have no idea what's going on, but like I said on the other thread, no matter what the lab results show, I hope local investigations will continue and encourage further independent research.

 

[IWannaKnow]

The fireworks thing makes absolutley no sense. If that were the case we'd have dead birds in every major city in the country after 4th of July. I don't know what the deal is but its pretty freky.

I agree hockeymom. Why wouldn't we have mass killings of birds every New Years Eve and 4th of July???


I've noticed that most of the fish reports are basically all the same types of fish; spots or croakers and menhayden. The Arkansas River one were drum. Croakers and drum use their swim bladders to make noises.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sciaenidae

Sciaenidae is a family of fish commonly called drums, croakers, or hardheads for the repetitive throbbing or drumming sounds they make. The family includes the weakfish, and consists of about 275 species in about 70 genera; it belongs to the order Perciformes.

http://www.hometownannapolis.com/news/top/2011/01/05-02/State-studies-massive-fish-kill.html

Scientists are investigating why about 2 million fish have turned up dead on Chesapeake Bay beaches in the last week.

Fish kills have been reported in Bay Ridge and at Sandy Point State Park near Annapolis, as well as on Kent Island, Poplar Island and in Calvert County, said Dawn Stoltzfus, a spokesman for the Maryland Department of the Environment.

Combined, hundreds of thousands of fish have died, mainly juvenile spot and some croaker, Stoltzfus said.

and

Fish kills are more common in the summertime in the Chesapeake and its rivers.

 

[bessie]

I still think it has something to do with the Gulf oil spill. I believe that the bad weather like tornadoes are spreading oil and fumes all over the U.S. into the air and water. The weaker birds are getting sick and dieing. They drink from the river then the oil from their wings get into the water and kill the fish. I think we're going to continue to see masses of the weaker fish and birds die. Then I believe it will spread to other species. White Christmas, earthquakes, tornadoes, I even noticed that hurricanes were going around the spill. I know these things have happened before but that oil spill did something to the Gulf which effects the jet stream and other weather systems. Only time will tell.

I believe you're right, Legalmania. After the spill, some experts predicted exactly what is happening today.

Besides the oil and the chemicals being ingested, in some cases, the food itself might be the culprit. The spill upset ecosystems, forcing small animals to seek new, alternate food sources which could be making them sick. Immunity builds up over time, and with environmental changes comes the introduction of foreign organisms and toxins the animals have not adapted to yet.

 

[IWannaKnow]

Related? IDK. Could it all just be the major cold snap we had before New Years? Would that affect the blackbirds in different areas? Why not all the blackbirds then??

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...freezing-conditions-hypothermia.html?ITO=1490

40,000 'devil' crabs wash up on Kent coast after dying from hypothermia in freezing sea
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 6:37 PM on 5th January 2011

Thousands of dead crabs have washed up along the Kent coast, with environmental experts believing the cold weather in Britain is to blame.

The Velvet swimming crabs - also called devil crabs - are thought to be victims of Britain's coldest December in 120 years, which left sea temperatures much lower than average.

More than 40,000 of the crabs - Britain's largest swimming crab - are littering beaches around Thanet, along with smaller numbers of whelks, sponges and anemones.

I know this says that this has been the coldest December in 120 years, but a comment after this article echos my thoughts. The comment says basically that while the water is cold, it is colder elsewhere near there and they are not experiencing mass die-offs in those areas....comment by Mr G on 05/1/2011 at 17:11.

 

[fran]

Swedish birds 'scared to death': veterinarian

county veterinarian has speculated that the birds that fell from the sky in central Sweden on Tuesday may have been frightened by fireworks, then run over by a car after landing on the road in the dark.

Shortly before midnight on Tuesday, residents found 50 to 100 jackdaws on a street in Falköping southeast of Skövde. The incident echoed a number of unexplained incidents earlier this week across the southern US.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<more at link>>>>>>>>>>>>>.


http://www.thelocal.se/31262/20110105/