Beebe, Arkansas - Wildlife officials are trying to determine what caused more than 1,000 black birds die and fall from the sky over the city of Arkansas.
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, said Saturday that they began receiving reports of dead birds on the clock at 11.30 at night. Birds were a 1-mile (2 km) area, and aerial survey found that no other dead birds were found outside this area.
Commission ornithologist Karen Rowe said the birds showed physical trauma, and she suggested that "it will have a herd because of lightning and hail-ups can take."
The Commission noted that New Year's Eve revelers were shooting fireworks at the frightened birds from their hiding places and let them die of stress.
Robby King collected a game reserve officer for the agency, about 65 dead birds, which are to assess the state Livestock and Poultry Commission Laboratory and the National Wildlife Health Center in Wisconsin sent to the laboratory.
Rowe said that similar events took place elsewhere, and that the test results "are generally not persuasive." She said she doubts whether the birds were poisoned.
