ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — People who drive the 408 Expressway every day may have noticed something strange Monday. Dozens of dead birds appeared along the side of the expressway near Hiawassee Road. The deaths could be because of the record snow fall up north.
Myron Nottingham was commuting when he first noticed the dead birds along the 408 Expressway.
"I've never seen that many birds die at one time," Nottingham said.
First he called Florida Fish and Wildlife and then he called WFTV.
"I started seeing birds on the road. They were dead or just twitching. It seemed abnormal to me," he said.
When WFTV arrived at the location that Nottingham pointed out, they found at least 50 birds on both sides of the overpass. Most, if not all, of the birds appeared to be American robins.
WFTV followed up with Florida Fish and Wildlife and the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey in Maitland and both said there was likely a natural explanation for the bird kill.
"American robins are down here in large numbers this year. It's cold up north, we do have a lot of American robins on large flocks," said Dianna Flynt, Audubon Center for Birds of Prey.
Experts say the birds may have eaten some type of berry and become intoxicated or simply become tired and chose the wrong place to rest.
"There you have it, man and wildlife conflict. Cars and wildlife," Flynt said.
Had there been different species of birds on the roadway, it might have given avian experts reason to suspect something other than death by natural causes, like a toxin. However, that doesn't appear to be the case and, with more migratory birds in Florida than in years past, it's possible the bird deaths may become more common.
"I have seen them in different parts, but nothing like Hiawassee Road," Nottingham said.
An Expressway Authority crew removed all but a few of the birds. The Audubon Center for Birds of Prey said that very soon the migratory birds in the area will be returning north.
WFTV
