[Note: Twitter Tweet with additional photos of the birds found at linked article.]

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MYSTERY IN SPAIN’S FERROL AFTER 200 BIRDS FALL DEAD FROM THE SKY OUTSIDE A LOCAL HOSPITAL

By Elena Gocmen Rueda

1 Dec, 2021 @ 11:59


A FLOCK of more than 200 dead starlings fell like rain on pedestrians and cars in Ferrol (A Coruña), with investigators left clueless as to why the birds died.

The starlings were also scattered across the flowerbeds at the back of the Juan Cardona Hospital in the bizarre incident which occurred on November 26,

The matter has been handed over to the environmental department, which collected two dead birds for analysis and autopsies to determine the causes of the mass death.

The president of the local residents’ association, Mapi Rodiguez, said she cannot explain what could have happened.

“They came out of the trees in the emergency area of the hospital, flew a few metres and plummeted to the pavement”, she said.

“The birds have been collected and we are now waiting to find out what happened, but we are told it won’t be easy,” said municipal sources.

A similar event occurred in February last year in the northeastern region of Catalunya when dozens of starlings appeared dead, scattered across a highway between Tarragona and Salou. At the time, there was suggestion the mass deaths may be linked to toxic fumes from a nearby petrochemical plant.

Probably the avian influenza ("bird flu"). I had a bad case several years ago, couldn't walk through a parking lot with stopping to crap on somebody's windshield. Embarrassing, to say the least.

^^^^^
But they all dropped dead in flight at the same time.

Starlings huh? I’d like to see every last one of the invasive bastards in the US drop dead. Back to reality… if you google it, Starling mass deaths are surprisingly common, however strange it seems.

Lightning…cloud to cloud

quote:

Originally posted by gearhounds:
Starlings huh? I’d like to see every last one of the invasive bastards in the US drop dead. Back to reality… if you google it, Starling mass deaths are surprisingly common, however strange it seems.

Agreed!

Mortimer!

The collective for starlings in murmuration...

I'd check to see what was being burned in the Hospital incinerator.... burning teflon will do that.

Same thing happened here in Arkansas 2010(?) . Hundreds of Red Wing Blackbirds fell dead at night.

Les Nessman doing a remote broadcast from Spain?

I drove through a scene like this in Denton Texas about 12 years or so ago. Several of us stopped and took pictures.

It was on an access road, in front of a guys house. Half were in his yard the rest on the road. It was bizarre.

quote:

Originally posted by Mr.9mm:
Les Nessman doing a remote broadcast from Spain?

As God is my witness, I thought Starlings could fly.

Did they sound like a bag of wet cement when they hit the ground.

I can remember when that episode was broadcast, darn near fell off he couch laughing. Note watched every episode because Bailey (Jan Smithers) was smoking hot.

quote:

Originally posted by Mr.9mm:
Les Nessman doing a remote broadcast from Spain?

Nicely done.

Somebody over charged the microwave transmitter up on the roof?

Say what you want, I’m a mid+ level amateur ‘birder’ going back to the 1970’s. Yes, I had a few years off at times. I can identify most of the more common birds at the feeder or in houses.

I think numbers and variety are way down from even 10-15 years ago. I’m talking even very common birds like Slate Colored Juncos, Purple Finches, and of course Evening Grosbeaks.

I can easily see ‘climate change’ & habitat lost as contributing, I don’t believe it. I also think we’re cleaner with pesticides than say the early 1970’s.

A few years ago the news reported deaths from West Nile, haven’t heard that mentioned recently. I think it’s something along those lines.

Omicron.

quote:

Originally posted by sourdough44:
Say what you want, I’m a mid+ level amateur ‘birder’ going back to the 1970’s. Yes, I had a few years off at times. I can identify most of the more common birds at the feeder or in houses.

I think numbers and variety are way down from even 10-15 years ago. I’m talking even very common birds like Slate Colored Juncos, Purple Finches, and of course Evening Grosbeaks.

I can easily see ‘climate change’ & habitat lost as contributing, I don’t believe it. I also think we’re cleaner with pesticides than say the early 1970’s.

A few years ago the news reported deaths from West Nile, haven’t heard that mentioned recently. I think it’s something along those lines.

I posted a story and link here last year about a huge decline in bird populations.

Songbirds are non existent anymore. So much of our eastern hardwood forests have been clear cut, a blow to the food source of many birds.

quote:

Originally posted by Sunset_Va:

quote:

Originally posted by sourdough44:
Say what you want, I’m a mid+ level amateur ‘birder’ going back to the 1970’s. Yes, I had a few years off at times. I can identify most of the more common birds at the feeder or in houses.

I think numbers and variety are way down from even 10-15 years ago.

I posted a story and link here last year about a huge decline in bird populations.

Songbirds are non existent anymore. So much of our eastern hardwood forests have been clear cut, a blow to the food source of many birds.

Domestic cats are what I am blaming on decimating the songbird populations. They play hell on cottontail rabbit populations too. Unfortunately I've seen the problem up close and personal when I lived in Colorado. For whatever reason, the city I lived in was overrun with feral cats and there were hardly any songbirds. Watched cats do some pretty amazing acrobatics to catch their meals.

Back on topic though....I'd have to go with some kind of pollutant that ends up being the culprit.