drunk birds in MN creating traffic problems

[chiver78]

link


Police in Gilbert, Minnesota, are warning residents about a group of youthful residents unable to handle their alcohol. They’ve been drifting around town looking disoriented, narrowly avoiding getting hit by cars.



But these aren’t teenagers getting drunk. Instead, it’s the local bird population.

“The Gilbert Police Department has received several reports of birds that appear to be ‘under the influence’ flying into windows, cars and acting confused,” Police Chief Ty Techar wrote in a statement Tuesday. An early frost meant that berries had fermented earlier than usual, he explained, and birds were eating them and getting drunk.

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[ken a.k.a OMK]

We had that happen at our last house. I had never heard of it. We had holly bushes full of berries. One Fall I saw Cedar Waxwings falling onto the ground. I thought they were dead.

[Tennesseer]

A number of years ago, a flock of cedar waxwings were killed on a Texas highway. Holly trees, loaded with over ripe and fermented berries were planted on highway dividers and the drunk birds were killed flying back and forth, into and out of the trees.

In the mean time, Canada came up with a solution.  

[NoNamePerson]

Oct 4, 2018 10:35:03 GMT -5 ken a.k.a OMK said:

We had that happen at our last house. I had never heard of it. We had holly bushes full of berries. One Fall I saw Cedar Waxwings falling onto the ground. I thought they were dead.

We had what I called a wild cherry tree on side of house. Birds would eat the berries that had fallen to the ground. The birds would fly into the window by the tree. They appeared to be drunk. I thought the cherries had fermented.  

Eta: no it wasn't a holly bush! 

[Jaguar]

Oh my geez, drunk as a skunk birds, now I've heard it all.