Pembrokeshire: Hundreds of dead birds found after fall from sky

About 200 birds have died overnight in mysterious circumstances near a village.

The birds believed to be starlings were found between Waterston and Hazelbeach, Pembrokeshire on Thursday evening.

Pembrokeshire Herald editor Tom Sinclair said: "There were 50 plus birds on the road and you could hear them all in the hedges, squawking and making noises."

The RSPB said the birds may have been disturbed from their evening roost.

The wildlife charity said: "When this happens during night-time, it can cause them to collide with the ground as they become disorientated.

"However, further examinations will be needed to confirm the cause of this incident."

Pembrokeshire council confirmed 200 starlings had been found dead in the road and said it was not known how they had died.

Mr Sinclair added: "In the first wave people told me the council collected 10 bin bags, and I was there later on so I think quite a few hundred, if not a 1,000 have died.

"I was there at around 11.30pm, they were still falling from the sky. It was as if they were dead before they hit the ground."

Mr Sinclair said someone phoned him at home and it took him half an hour to get there. He said the council had been and gone by that point.

He believes the birds were starlings.

"I got the impression they were falling from a height, I was worried about my car but I had parked a bit further away," he added.

"It was on single track towards Hazelbeach and there were people in two or three cars when I was there, watching it.

"I don't know what happened, really no idea, I can't think it was a bird of prey, they weren't flying and hitting the road, they were falling dead.

"I wondered if they were poisoned, or maybe it was birds who migrate and it was really cold, maybe they froze and died."

Resident Claire Eaton went to the area at about 23:00 GMT.

She said: "It was really traumatic, on the road there were quite a few dead birds. Blood splattered everywhere. I saw a flash in the sky about an hour previously.

"It was like something out of a horror film. I think the cause of this is man made, and people need to respect our wildlife."

She took a stunned bird home and is planning to release it this morning.

Pembrokeshire County Council said it had received a call at about 21:00 GMT on Thursday.

A spokesperson said: "Officers attended the site and there were around 200 starlings found dead on the road.

"The authority undertook a clean-up and removed the dead birds from site. There is no clear indication as to the cause of these deaths. We have reported the incident to the Animal and Plant Health Agency."