More than 1,000 dead birds fall from sky in Ark.

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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110102/ap_on_fe_st/us_odd_dead_birds_arkansas

More than 1,000 dead birds fall from sky in Ark.

– Sun Jan 2, 9:18 am ET

BEEBE, Ark. – Wildlife officials are trying to determine what caused more than

1,000 blackbirds to die and fall from the sky over an Arkansas town.

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission said Saturday that it began receiving

reports about the dead birds about 11:30 p.m. the previous night. The birds fell

over a 1-mile area of Beebe, and an aerial survey indicated that no other dead

birds were found outside of that area.

Commission ornithologist Rowe said the birds showed physical trauma, and

she speculated that " the flock could have been hit by lightning or high-altitude

hail. "

The commission said that New Year's Eve revelers shooting off fireworks in the

area could have startled the birds from their roost and caused them to die from

stress.

Robby King, a wildlife officer for the agency, collected about 65 dead birds,

which will be sent for testing to the state Livestock and Poultry Commission lab

and the National Wildlife Health Center lab in Madison, Wis.

Rowe said that similar events have occurred elsewhere and that test results

" usually were inconclusive. " She said she doubted the birds were poisoned.