Saturday, January 1, 2011
Environment Blackbirds dead, not singing, in the night
Posted by Max Brantley on Sat, Jan 1, 2011 at 2:51 PM
The state Game and Fish Commission reports more than a thousand blackbirds fell dead from the sky over Beebe on New Year's Eve. Theories include high-altitude hail, lightning or stress from being startled from roosts by fireworks,
"... into the light of a dark, black night."
GAME AND FISH COMMISSION NEWS RELEASE
Last night, ringing in the New Year took on a whole different meaning for the citizens of Beebe. Beginning at around 11:30 p.m., enforcement officers with Arkansas Game and Fish Commission began getting reports of dead black birds falling from the sky in the city limits of Beebe.
Officers estimated that over 1,000 birds had fallen out of the sky over the city before midnight. Most of the birds were dead, but some were still alive when officers arrived. The blackbirds fell over a one-mile area in the city. AGFC wildlife officer Robby King responded to the reports and found hundreds of birds. “Shortly after I arrived there were still birds falling from the sky,” King said. King collected about 65 dead birds that will be sent to the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission lab and the National Wildlife Health Center lab in Madison, Wis.
The AGFC has flown over the area to gauge the scope of the event. There were no other birds found outside of the initial area.
AGFC ornithologist Karen Rowe said that strange events similar to this one have occurred a number of times across the globe. “Test results usually were inconclusive, but the birds showed physical trauma and that the flock could have been hit by lightning or high-altitude hail,” Rowe said.
Another scenario may have been that New Year’s Eve revelers shooting off fireworks in the area may have startled the birds from their roost. The birds may have died from stress.
Rowe said that it didn’t appear as though the birds died of any poisoning or other event. “Since it only involved a flock of blackbirds and only involved them falling out of the sky it is unlikely they were poisoned, but a necropsy is the only way to determine if the birds died from trauma or toxin,” she said. Testing will begin on Monday.
The City of Beebe has hired U.S. Environmental Services to begin the cleanup and dispose of the dead birds. The environmental firm will go door-to-door to pick up the birds that are still in yards and on roof tops.
Comments (30)
Showing 1-30 of 30
More by Max Brantley
-
Partisan justice: Court candidate Wood gets tout from GOP's Curtis Coleman
I've written here and in last week's column about the lingering taste of partisanship in supposedly non-partisan Arkansas judicial races, as exhibited recently by Court of Appeals Judge Rhonda Wood, who's expected to run for the Arkansas Supreme Court next year.
- May 18, 2013
-
School vouchers don't work
You just have to follow Diane Ravitch if you live in this land of Stepford legislators who accept pronouncements from the Billionaire Boys Club school reform lobby as holy writ.
- Mar 30, 2013
- More »
Event Calendar
-
Re: Riverfest Eve open line: Democrats rip Tim Griffin; Arkansas Tech joins no-gun list
Breaking news--Boy Scouts to Allow Gay Youth
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142412…- on May 23, 2013
-
Re: Historic Preservation Alliance's 2013 list of endangered structures
I found a school district press release that says Park Hill Elementary will no longer…
- on May 23, 2013
-
Re: Riverfest Eve open line: Democrats rip Tim Griffin; Arkansas Tech joins no-gun list
Good article:
The IRS Scandal: Tempest and the Tea Party
"Sadly, in the…- on May 23, 2013
Top Commenters
Blogroll
Slideshows
-
May 16, 2013
Site Index
News
Cover Story / Arkansas Reporter / The Week That Was / Smart Talk / The Insider / The Observer / Editorial / Max Brantley / Ernest Dumas / Gene Lyons / Bob Lancaster / Words / Guest Writer / Letters
Entertainment
A&E Feature / To-Do List / In Brief / Movie Reviews / Music Reviews / Theater Reviews / A&E News / Art Notes / Graham Gordy / Books / Media / Dining Reviews / Dining Guide / What's Cookin' / Calendar / The Televisionist / Movie Listings / Gallery Listings
This Week's Cover
Quick Links
Special Publications
RSS
Facebook
Twitter
