Blackbirds Falling from the Sky…Again!
Once again the town of Beebe (Arkansas) relives the “not so weird” news of thousands of blackbirds falling from the sky dead after the fireworks for the celebration of the New Year’ Eve…
What are the chances of this event happening again on the same day? The area is known for being the habitat of a large population of blackbirds which roost locally.
My opinion on this matter is as follow: The sound waves and high pressure caused by the blasting fireworks most likely are strong enough to damage the birds inner ears and devoid them of orientation as well as of mobility and they simply drop to their imminent death. An analogy to a jet plane’s engine stalling and shutting down, this would result in a dramatic and sudden drop from the sky in very similar way to what might have happened to the blackbirds in question.
My suggestion would simply be to change the location or not have any fireworks for one New Year’s Eve and then see what the result would be. That’s my Memo!
Excerpt from Huff Post Weird News
“Thousands of dead blackbirds rained down on a town in central Arkansas last New Year’s Eve after revelers set off fireworks that spooked them from their roost, and officials were reporting a similar occurrence Saturday as 2012 approached.
Police in Beebe said dozens of blackbirds had fallen dead, prompting officers to ban residents from shooting fireworks Saturday night. It wasn’t immediately clear if fireworks were again to blame, but authorities weren’t taking a chance.
Officer John Weeks said the first reports of “birds on the streets” came around 7 p.m. as residents celebrated the year’s end with fireworks in their neighborhoods.
“We started shutting down fireworks,” he said. “We’re working on cleaning up the birds now.”
He said police were working with animal control workers and others to remove the birds and determine a death count.
“We’re not sure if they’re going to continue to fall throughout the night. I can’t tell you,” Weeks said.
Scientists say the loud cracks and booms from celebratory fireworks likely sent the birds into such a tizzy that they crashed into homes, cars and each other before plummeting to their deaths last New Year’s Eve. The birds landed on roofs, sidewalks, streets and fields. One struck a woman walking her dog. Another hit a police cruiser.
The blackbird die-off, coupled with tens of thousands of dead drum fish that washed up on the shores of the Arkansas River, flung the state into the national headlines and drew conspiracy theorists and filmmakers to the town about 30 miles northeast of Little Rock that shares Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe’s last name.
Some people speculated that the birds had been poisoned; others said their deaths marked the beginning of the apocalypse.”
🙂
Partial text and photograph © H.J. Ruiz – Avian 101
Excerpt from Huff Post Weird News
H.J. Ruiz - Avian101 
Very mysterious, H.J.
Yep! Thanks!
Interesting H.J., but I haven’t heard of similar situations elsewhere. Have you? Dave
Exactly! It happened there the previous year too at about the same time, after the fireworks of New Year’s Eve. Other places that have exploded fireworks don’t have the nesting grounds as they have in Arkansas.
Sounds like it was the fireworks. I’m not a big fan of fireworks. Our neighborhood residents go way overboard and I know it disturbs so many sensitive pets in the area. Wild animals are probably scared and confused too.
I think it’s fairly safe to say it was caused by the fireworks!
Although the story itself is very sad, I was impressed by the reaction of the police and others working to combat the problem. It is heartening to read that they called for a ban on future fireworks and worked to have them stopped immediately in the vicinity of affected blackbirds. I doubt police in other countries, or indeed in other American States, would do anything other than have the dead birds removed. In fact, given some opposition to roosting native bats here in Melbourne and other parts of Australia, I’m surprised some people weren’t vocal in a call to have the birds removed rather than the fireworks! Sorry, I mean ‘relocated’, not ‘removed’…..ahem.
Believe or not not everybody is indifferent to wildlife in this case the blackbirds, that’s why you and I are trying hard blogging to make people aware that birds are very important creatures that have originated way before humans were even in existence. I trust that the pressure will amount and something will have to be done. It’s sad though how things that humans do affect others. I’m for thinking before doing something that it of collective magnitude. Fun for some, death for others. 😦
Thank you for your comment Cindy.
Whether it’s fireworks, poisons or some other mystery, this is a terrible thing. Why doesn’t it happen at other times, like the 4th of July? Or if it does, shouldn’t we be re-thinking our passion for fireworks? Events like this are a clear sign that humans need to wake up and start taking better care of the planet.
I think that if we had a machine that would allow us to see the past and go as far back in time to the era of the cavemen, you’d likely see one of them claiming what you are right now. If the world gets to an end would be because G-d would decide to be it. It wouldn’t have to give any previews to Nostradamus or the Mayans. Live your life normally and don’t worry about the end, worry about the now! Put your energy and intelligence to work something more productive. We need that badly in this economic decline!