Boston Bird Mystery: 47 Birds Found Dead

Wildlife expets in Boston are wondering why an estimated 47 birds fell from the sky in Dorchester.

As reported by CBS, the Boston bird mystery started Thursday morning on Bakersfield Street. The city’s Inspectional Services says that grackles were the only type of birds that apparently became sick. As many as 40 birds were found dead, while others were lethargic.

Dorchester resident Shelora Levaud said:

“I tried to move them a little bit, and it just seemed like they were on one side, and you put them on their feet and they just fell.  It was almost like one side was paralyzed.”

Boston bird mystery also left cats dead

According RT,  resident called the ARL Thursday, reporting her cat Sally suddenly falling sick and birds massively falling from the trees at 33 Bakersfield Street in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood.

She described the birds as “lethargic, trying to roll over, not able to stand up or fly.”

The ARL provided treatment to the cat, but the feline ended up dying.

“My sister fed her,” Sally’s owner Willien Pugh told the Boston Herald.“Then like at 8:30 she came to the door and told me Sally was laying there at the back door, and that was it. Nobody knows who did it or nothing.”

“It’s unbelievable,” Pugh also told NECN. “Something is happening, but I don’t know, but I’m without a cat.”

According to NECN, city officials are considering several explanations, such as environmental poisoning or even “something intentional.”

“We don’t know what is going on,” John Meaney of the city’s Inspectional Services told NECN. “So we are investigating all avenues.”

The Animal Rescue League of Boston and Inspectional Services are working to determine what caused their illness.

“We’re not sure what’s going on, if it’s an environmental toxin, or it’s some disease that’s being spread around the birds,” said Danielle Genter of the Animal Rescue League.

There was no initial signs of people feeding the birds. However, investigators are looking at the possibility of the birds ingesting a chemical agent known as avitrol, which is commonly used to remove pests.