Dead Birds Fall From Sky in New Jersey; Locals Stunned by Mass Deaths
Dozens of dead birds have fallen from the sky in New Jersey, shocking local residents on Tuesday morning.
The bizarre incident happened in a Cumberland County community, and reports have claimed that at least 80 birds fell from the sky in a matter if minutes, according to residents near Peach Drive in Millville.
Most of the dead birds that fell were red-winged blackbirds. They are thought to have dropped dead and fallen from trees nearby or from the sky as they were flying.
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Local resident Michelle Cavalieri who saw the birds fall from the sky told NBC, "Crazy -- something out of a movie."
"They'd get up and try and fly and they were out of control so they'd crash and fall again," added another local resident, Jim Sinclair. "It was just strange."
Public health officials were called to the scene later in the day and they have taken specimens to try and determine what may have caused the mass deaths of the birds.
Cumberland County Public Information Officer Troy Ferus said Tuesday, "Preliminary investigation gives us the impression that…he (a local farmer) had problems with birds. He applied for and got a permit for a product that kills birds and that's what it seems to have been effective at doing."
The county released this statement on the incident:
The Department of Health reports that Monday evening Ingraldi Farms applied a granular pesticide intended and approved to cull birds, causing an unusually high volume of dead birds in the area of Ingraldi Farms and Whitemarsh Estates in Millville.
The material used; Avitrol Double Strength Corn Chops (EPA reg. # 11649-5) is approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and intended to be used for bird control for Blackbirds, Brewer's Blackbirds, Cowbirds, Grackles, Red-Winged Blackbirds, Rusty Blackbird, Starlings and Yellow-Headed Blackbirds.
In the past, Ingraldi Farms has also used Avian Control (EPA reg. # 33162-1) a ready to use liquid repellent intended to be used for bird control for Geese, Gull, Pigeon, Crows, Starlings, House Sparrows, Blackbirds, Grackles and House Finches.
Ingraldi Farms is licensed through the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to apply pesticides on their farms and has been working with the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife to alleviate the crop damage done by large flocks of birds. Remedies include auditory shock, hunting and pesticides. Ingraldi Farms has estimated a crop loss of $15,000 so far, due to the birds eating their crops.
Bird specimens have been collected and are being sent to the NJ-Department of Environmental Protection Laboratory for testing.
