A puzzling avian phenomenon is unfolding in a Northern California town, where residents have raised concerns about birds seemingly “exploding.” In a neighborhood in the Bay Area community of Richmond, northeast of San Francisco, locals have discovered multiple deceased birds in their yards and on the streets. Security cameras captured one bird’s tragic demise as it fell from a power line after a loud noise was heard on the footage.
The mystery took a troubling turn when investigators revealed the results of necropsies conducted on two of the deceased birds, indicating possible foul play. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Wildlife Health Lab confirmed that two dead birds, a mourning dove and a European starling, showed injuries consistent with trauma from a pellet gun, BB gun, or a slingshot, ruling out electrocution as the cause. However, the exact source of the trauma on all the birds could not be definitively determined.
Witnesses, like resident Maximillian Bolling, described witnessing birds meeting a grim fate after landing on power lines, leading to sudden explosions. Bolling and his neighbors have counted at least 13 birds experiencing this inexplicable demise.
As speculation abounds, ranging from electrocution to a potential serial bird killer, residents are left distraught by the heartbreaking scenes. The California State Department of Fish and Wildlife has initiated an investigation into the matter.
Some residents have pointed fingers at power lines belonging to the Pacific Gas & Electric Company as a possible cause of the deaths, urging the utility company to address the issue. PG&E has investigated a power pole in the neighborhood but found no evidence implicating their infrastructure in the bird fatalities. The company emphasized compliance with avian safety guidelines and engaged the Department of Fish & Wildlife for further examination of the bird carcasses.
Residents, like Bolling, hope for an end to the distressing occurrences and seek resolution to the puzzling situation.
