Several thousand birds mysteriously drop dead in Australia
Malaysia Sun
Tuesday 9th January, 2007
A major phenomena has occurred over the West Australian coastal town of Esperance.Several thousands of birds, of many different species, have mysteriously dropped dead out of the sky.Investigations by scientists and vetinarians in the West Australian capital of Perth have failed to discover the cause of the mass deaths.The Australian newspaper says all the residents of flood-devastated Esperance know, is that their 'dawn chorus' of singing birds is missing. The main casualties are wattle birds, yellow-throated miners, new holland honeyeaters and singing honeyeaters, although some dead crows, hawks and pigeons have also been found. Wildlife officers, say The Australian, are baffled by the 'catastrophic' event, which the Department of Environment and Conservation said began well before a freak storm last week. On Monday, Esperance, 725 kilometres southeast of Perth, was declared a natural disaster zone. District nature conservation co-ordinator Mike Fitzgerald said the first reports of birds dropping dead in people's yards came in three weeks ago. More than 500 deaths had since been notified. But the calls stopped suddenly last week, reportedly because no birds were left.
Bird deaths being investigated
Ben Ready The Daily Times-Call
Ben Ready The Daily Times-Call
LONGMONT — About 40 dead birds littered a short stretch of U.S. Highway 287 south of the city Tuesday.
Boulder County health officials and the Colorado Division of Wildlife were still coordinating efforts late afternoon to investigate the site, just south Mooring Road.
From an initial description, division veterinarian Laurie Baeten said the birds were likely starlings killed by a passing truck. Considering whipping winds in parts of Boulder County on Monday and the fact that starlings tend to flock at night and in large colonies, Baeten suspects a gust might have thrown the colony into the path of a tall vehicle such as a semi truck.
French authorities say they cannot rule out bird flu after 4,000 chickens died on a French farm on Saturday.
Officials have carried out tests on the dead birds found in Sarrey in the northeast Haute-Marne region, but the results are not expected until Tuesday.
The farmer says his flock of 7,000 chickens appeared healthy on Saturday morning, but by evening 4,000 had died.
France is the biggest poultry producer in Western Europe, breeding some 900m chickens, ducks and geese every year.
Poultry producers fear their Christmas sales could be badly affected if the latest cases are confirmed as bird flu, says the BBC's Caroline Wyatt in Paris.
Officials have carried out tests on the dead birds found in Sarrey in the northeast Haute-Marne region, but the results are not expected until Tuesday.
The farmer says his flock of 7,000 chickens appeared healthy on Saturday morning, but by evening 4,000 had died.
France is the biggest poultry producer in Western Europe, breeding some 900m chickens, ducks and geese every year.
Poultry producers fear their Christmas sales could be badly affected if the latest cases are confirmed as bird flu, says the BBC's Caroline Wyatt in Paris.
BBC News: Monday, 18 December 2006, 20:30 GMT
