Spain: Hundreds of birds rain down on Ferrol streets, authorities probe mystery death

In an unusual case, hundreds of dead birds fell from the sky in northwestern Spain, prompting officials to initiate an investigation to determine what caused it.

On the morning of November 26, at about 9 am, a flock of starlings descended on residents of Ferrol, Spain, as per a report by The Mirror. The dead birds reportedly hit cars and people outside the Juan Cardona Hospital. Police said there were no injuries.

The neighbourhood resident association's president, Mapi Rodrguez, said that the birds swooped down from trees in the hospital's emergency room, then flew a few metres before landing on the pavement. He claimed that they have collected the birds and are waiting to learn what happened, The Mirror reported. The birds that fell have been taken for research by a regional environment agency and the Ferrol City Council are probing the mysterious deaths as well.

Notably, earlier this year, hundreds of birds fell from the skies in nearby Tarragona, a northeastern part of Spain as a result of hazardous chemicals emitted by a local petrochemical facility.

Birds allegedly electrocuted

Starlings are known to fly in big synchronised groups, therefore the number of birds falling would make sense if the cause of the mass deaths in Ferrol was of a similar kind but no cause or rationale for the tragedy has been revealed as of yet, according to The Mirror. However, local media believes that the birds were allegedly electrocuted on a nearby powerline. This, however, is yet to be confirmed.

Quoting sources, Europa Press reported that flocks of birds are typically electrocuted when they fly too close together. As a result, if a bird hits a high-tension cable with its wing, an electric arc can form, which is quickly communicated to the rest of the birds, perhaps resulting in the group's death.

The Juan Cardona Hospital, where the birds were found is situated on the banks of the Ria de Ferrol. It is also close to a university, a supermarket, and a metropolitan region, but nothing that could release harmful chemicals into the air, The Mirror reported. An investigation is underway and the cause of the birds dying continues to remain a mystery.

(Image: Pixabay/Representative)