Aflockalypse now

There has been some puzzlement over a number of unexplained bird deaths recently. Initially thousands of red-winged blackbirds died over Arkansas on Hogmanay but this was swiftly followed by flock deaths elsewhere in the US, in Sweden, Japan, Brazil. All over the world in fact. Fish too.

It is not uncommon for entire flocks to plunge from the skies and explanations range from strange weather conditions such as a microburst or a strong downdraft of wind to fireworks frightening the birds and causing them to fly into objects. But most of the time no-one really knows.

However Starlings from a die-off in Romania have been examined and were found to have drunk themselves to death. They had eaten some wine making leftovers and suffered from alcohol poisoning, Poor wee things.