Dead Birds in Esperance

Posted by Rosemary Drisdelle Jan 13, 2007

Bird lovers in Esperance, Australia used to enjoy watching birds attracted to gardens by bird feeders or sprinklers. People aren’t watching birds in Esperance now, however: all the birds, it seems, are dead. Reports of dead birds began in early December when residents began finding dead or dying birds on the ground. Estimates of the numbers lost climbed quickly, and it’s now thought that thousands of birds have died – Yellow-throated Miners, Wattle birds, Honeyeaters, seagulls, crows, pigeons, and hawks.

No one knows what’s killing birds in Esperance. Possible culprits include infectious disease, some kind of insect, a plant toxin, a chemical spill, pesticides, or water or air pollution. Tests so far don’t suggest infectious disease, but no toxin has been identified either. The birds affected have different food sources, which adds to the mystery. Hopefully the answer will be discovered soon.

Sources:

O'Brien, Amanda. "Mystery as Thousands of Birds Fall From Sky." The Australian News: 10/01/2007

Quinton Sarah. "Birds Falling From the Sky." The Esperance Express: 28/12/2006

Update on this story March, 2007