Mystery surrounds dead birds found in Northern California city
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has confirmed they received two dead birds from Pacific Gas & Electric for evaluation, after several birds were found dead in a Bay Area neighborhood under mysterious circumstances.
Max Bolling lives in the Richmond neighborhood where the birds have been found. He said that during one weekend in February, he and his brother found five dead birds under power lines. Since then, Max said he has personally seen 20 dead birds.
"We kinda were thinking back and it's probably been close to 50 between us and all of the neighbors between this pole and the pole over there," Max said.
Department of Fish and Wildlife officials said one of the birds they evaluated was a European Starling and the other was a Mourning Dove.
The two birds turned in by PG&E aren't the only ones to turn up dead in the neighborhood. Fish and Wildlife officials said they have received pictures of birds that showed signs of trauma. They said the trauma looks like it could have been caused by a pellet gun, a BB gun, or a slingshot.
While the birds were collected by PG&E, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said they didn't show signs of electrocution but people in the neighborhood say they believe that's what's happening.
Jeremy Hoehner Haele said, "My dad's been seeing them, he's been seeing a lot more than I have. Actually he's seen them like appear to be fried on the wire themselves like he's said he's seen that a couple times."
PG&E released a statement to CBS News Bay Area saying:
"We appreciate the concern of our customers in Richmond about the recent series of bird deaths. We have asked the California Department of Fish & Wildlife to evaluate two of the bird corpses. They have shared that the birds show no evidence of electrocution, and that their deaths were caused by trauma, potentially from a pellet or BB gun or a slingshot. PG&E does not believe that there was an issue with our electrical equipment and agrees that these birds were not electrocuted. Neighbors have asked the Contra County Sheriff's Office to look into this situation. The pole at issue is compliant with avian safe guidance, as established by the Avian Powerline Interaction Committee."
Fish and Wildlife officials are still investigating what is killing the birds in this Richmond neighborhood.
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