This story from The Oregonian gives new meaning to the term "dead drunk":
It's a case fit for wildlife CSI: 55 robins from the Mount Tabor neighborhood -- all dead within a few nearby backyards.
Toxic spill?
Mystery virus?
Maybe not. The leading theory is that the birds were fatally intoxicated, said Bob Sallinger of the Audubon Society of Portland's wildlife care center, where the birds ended up last week.
That's right: The birds drank themselves to death.
Not from a bottle, though. The birds' bellies were chock full of holly berries, skins and seeds. Sallinger isn't dismissing other explanations yet, but the current thinking is that the birds ate aged and fermented berries that killed them.
...
The robins travel in flocks this time of year, so they could have gobbled the berries together last week. They may have died from ethanol poisoning directly or dropped into such a stupor they died of exposure.
"Certainly a drunk bird in the rain is pretty vulnerable," Sallinger said.
Maybe they were just depressed.
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Comments
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Biodiversivist Posted 3:42 pm
05 Feb 2008
In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Poison Darts--Protecting the biodiversity of our world
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caniscandida Posted 7:59 am
06 Feb 2008
Birds and mammals do indeed relish eating berries that are fermenting. I did not know that that could be fatal, though. If climate change is producing poisonously fermenting berries to appear just when flocks of robins and other birds are on the move, that would be a very sad development.
On happier matters, on my commute between Manhattan and my school a few miles west of the Meadowlands, I observe more crows lately, a noteworthy improvement since crows have been principal victims of West Nile virus.
Also, there are over-wintering populations of Canada geese, probably not all-year residents, who like to hang out on grass-planted islands set amidst multi-lane highways, especially around entrances and exits. Perfect: they are contented there, and they are not pooping on anyone's lawn or golf course.
Chickens are our cousins! So are fish! So are other sentient animals! Let us learn to be kind.
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Steve Erickson Posted 2:34 pm
07 Feb 2008
And why should bare-skinned primates have all the fun?
Steve E.
Whidbey Environmental Action Network
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